New Life
by eldaran
Summary: A young girl at a new school.... finds out its not easy being herself...
1. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 1: All beginnings have to start somewhere  
  
"Do I have to go to a new school?" Almika whined, her fingers playing with the plait, which fell wispily down her back, "You could teach me at home."  
  
"No I couldn't, not with the baby here now. He's going to need all my spare time and more. I wont have time to teach you properly." Oriola explained, turning the key in the car's ignition.  
  
"Oh fine." Almika sighed, hugging her before she hopped out of the car.  
  
Almika waved goodbye as the car rolled down the street and frowned as she turned to face the school. Instantly she knew shed never fir in, girls in their little skirts and singlet tops with their golden pigtails flying around as they ran after boys in baggy pants and t-shirts. As she looked up on what she wore, Almika groaned. Her feet were covered by black boots with silver laces, black and white striped knee-high socks hid her slim legs, the flared sleeves of a black and white striped t-shirt covered her arms and over the t-shirt sat a small, black, sleeveless dress. Her straight black hair was pulled to the top of her head and plaited all the way down her back to the waist where it was tied off with a simple red ribbon. Looking up again, Almika entered the gates of the school hesitantly and searched for some sort of direction. On the side of the closest building a metal green sign said, "Administration", with an arrow that pointed to her right. Following the various signs, Almika came to a small brick building with glass doors. Inside people ran around, some talking, some just standing around. As she stepped inside, to her left, was a small room with a single woman in it, so Almika stood at the door, leaning gently against it.  
  
"Can I help you?" the woman asked, standing to face Almika.  
  
"Yes, Im new here... I was wondering about school maps and stuff like that." Almika said.  
  
"Oh! You must be Almika. Brenda will be here shortly to show you around, shes one of out other year 11's." the woman smiled, "Im Mrs Tinker... by the way, my son, Tobias is in your year too."  
  
"Miss, excuse my rudeness, but Im late and have things to do before class." A tall, busty brunette in a small blue miniskirt said, fixing her curls as she smiled with painted-on red lips.  
  
"Hello Brenda, this is Almika. She'll help you get settled in." Mrs Tinker smiled.  
  
*Geez! She'd scare the hair off a werewolf!* Almika thought as she forced a smile and nodded politely.  
  
*She almost has.* came a reply.  
  
Almika looked confused for a moment and shrugged before following Brenda outside across the courtyard and into a fenced area labelled quaintly as 'The Senior's Area'. There were two large gates at the entrance, with a padlock hanging from one. Five distinct groups sat in separate areas of the space. Brenda walked her to a group of three girls who looked very similar to her, right down to the makeup.  
"Tracey, Jasmine, Katie, this is Almika." Brenda said, "Shes the new girl Mrs Tinker told us about."  
  
Tracey and Jasmine, obviously brushing her off, turned absently to Almika and smiled politely, returning instantly to their private conversation. Katie waved to her, without looking up. Suddenly the bell rand and everyone started to file off.  
  
"Wheres your first class?" Brenda asked her.  
  
"A4, Textiles." Almika replied, looking to her timetable.  
  
"Oh, I'll show you where that is, my class is near there." Brenda smiled.  
  
As they walked towards A block, at the entrance of the school, Almika searched desperately for someone who might be like her. Sadly she saw no-one, everyone seemed to be the same. Almika entered the textiles room slowly, it was already filling with students. She sat up the back, away from the other students, who all kept away from the seats around her. As Almika brought out her exercise book and pens, a young female teacher entered the room holding a pile of books.  
  
"Good morning class." She said, "Today you are going to start looking over the notes that I gave you last lesson. If you don't have them, I have extra copies. Don't forget to highlight and take notes as you go. Any problems?"  
  
No-one in the room said a word, so the teacher took a book and pile of papers from her desk and walked up to Almika before placing them on her desk and signing, 'Hello Almika, I'm Ms Stanley.'  
  
"Hi." Almika said.  
  
"This is all the work that you have to catch-up on. Theres not really a lot there, its just mostly notes." Ms Stanley smiled.  
  
'Theres no use signing Miss. No-one except the teachers knows im deaf, and I lip-read well.' Almika signed.  
  
Ms Stanley nodded and smiled. Not much else happened that class. The students worked quietly and Ms Stanley did work of her own. Almika's next class was Maths, and then came Recess. Almika sat alone during recess and lunch, no-one taking much notice of her. She watched as the ran around gossiping and laughing to each other like everything was just one big joke. By the end of lunch, Almika had started to hate the school and everyone in it. Her last class was Computer Studies, her favourite of all subjects. When she entered the room, it was empty, so she chose one of the front computers and sat down, waiting patiently. Not long after she had settled into the uncomfortable chair, a girl and two guys wandered in. The girl and one of the guys sat across the other side of the room, while the second guy sat beside Almika, although at the time she didn't notice. It wasn't until he tapped her on the shoulder that she turned around to see him frowning slightly at her.]  
  
"Hey, you deaf or something?" he asked sarcastically.  
"Yes actually, I am. Got a problem with that?" Almika sighed, annoyed.  
  
"Oh sorry, I didn't realise. Im Jared, youre new right?" Jared asked.  
  
"Yes. Im Almika." She replied, her patience wearing thin.  
  
At that moment, the teacher entered the room and everything became quiet and still....  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 2: Friends are hard to find  
  
Almika entered the Senior's Area, and although she could not hear the whispers, couldn't hear the giggles and didn't know what was wrong, she could see the pointed fingers in her direction, the evil and bullying looks upon the faces and the way people laughed at and whispered about her. She spent the day sitting alone again, talking to no one. In her last class for the day, with Ms Stanley, Almika sat alone, looked alone and definitely felt it.  
  
'What is wrong Almika? It looks like its really worrying you.' Ms Stanley asked, signing subtly as she wandered around the class checking the student's work.  
  
'Nothing, nothing important anyway.' Almika replied.  
  
'By lying you're only cheating yourself of help.' Ms Stanley told her.  
  
'Fine. All the other students laugh at me, they point and whisper and none of the talk to me.' Almika admitted.  
  
'I'm sure someone will talk to you soon enough.' Ms Stanley signed.  
  
'I doubt it, I don't fit in with them.' Almika replied.  
  
Ms Stanley shrugged and continued on her way. At the end of the class, Almika was stopped by Ms Stanley, who said one thing, which stuck in her head, "Just be yourself Almika."  
  
For the next two days, nothing changed, all during school hours, excluding Ms Stanley and other teachers, no one spoke to Almika. She started feeling more and more lonely, until the morning of the 3rd day. It was a Friday morning, the last day of school for the week. Almika stood before the full-length mirror in her room, looking at what she wore. 12-hole boots, thick and black; stockings; a long black skirt with lace hemming and bells sewn to the hem; a black-velvet boned corset done-up at the front with thin black ribbon which fell in a bow from the top. Almika's hair, long and black in its entirety, fell untied all the way past her bottom. But still, something wasn't right. Her black lips frowned as she stared into her light-blue, contact-lense covered eyes. Along her thin arms and hands was a pair of tight black gloves, which reached her elbows. Pulling on her hooded cloak, Almika took one last look and pulled off her left glove carefully.  
  
*I don't need these* Almika thought, lifting the ungloved hand to her eyes and removing her contact lenses. As she smiled satisfied and even quite evilly to herself, a small laugh exited her mouth. Truthfully, she didn't need them, her contact lenses. Oriola just said to wear them because they changed her eye colour and everyone would be freaked out by someone with no pigment in their eyes. Everyone already was scared of her, sort of. They never spoke to her, so what change would this make? Almika took one last look at herself and ran downstairs to where Oriola sat patiently in her car.  
  
"You've not put in your contacts Almika." Oriola said.  
  
"I know. Everyone at school wants to see me without them." Almika lied, putting on her left glove again.  
  
Oriola just shrugged absently as she started the car and backed out of the driveway.  
  
As Almika walked into the Senior's Area, no more than 10 minutes later, all the students stopped what they were doing and started to point and whisper, nothing new. But this time, instead of sadly sitting against one oft he fences and looking depressed, Almika smiled inside as she climbed atop one of the tables in the far corner of the fenced space.  
  
"Seniors, lend me your hearing ears and pigmented eyes a moment so that I may speak to you freely." Almika started, "You know, it's not worth it, the whispering, the pointing, the pretending I don't exist. I can still see what goes on, I can read upon your lips what you say. I may be deaf, but I am not dumb. None of you even considered that I might be deaf until I told someone, and since then, you have outcast me for something I could not control. You act like cowering, scared dogs, too afraid to even say hello. I am still the same person I was before, only truer in looks and physical problems. These eyes are now the colour I was born with, but they don't change who I am."  
  
The bell sounded shrill and loud. Almika, not wishing to say anymore, stepped down from the table and out the gates to the area, a path forming before her as she walked. The day proceeded normally; Almika was alone, no one talked, although she did notice no pointing or whisper, and more respect.  
  
*It's about time I got some respect out of these humans.* she thought dryly to herself as she sat down for lunch, taking out her Biology book and finishing her homework for the next lesson.  
  
The Senior's Area suddenly got deathly quiet, as if something important had happened, but Almika didn't notice. From beyond the gates came a young man. He wore leather pants, thick boots and a tight fish-neck top. His shaggy brown hair hung limply in his dark eyes and moved slowly as he walked towards Almika, stopping before her. Almika looked up, the boots catching her attention.  
  
"I'm Tobias. Come with me." He said plainly.  
"Why?" Almika asked.  
  
"Cause there's more of us than you think." Tobias reasoned.  
  
Almika stood, walking away from him, towards the gates, "You coming or what?" she asked impatiently as she kept walking.  
  
Tobias caught up with her, walking beside her as they left the Senior's Area. Whne they were no more than 10 metres out, Almika made a subtle movement with her hand. Tobias turned around to the Senior's Area to see the gets slam shut and the padlock fall closed, locking them in. Although she could not hear it, Almika knew the Seniors rattled the gates in an attempt to get out and she smiled to Tobias, whose face was one of shock. Almika looked to the gates, then back to Tobias as she said, "Beware the feral dogs, they pose as Seniors. If you see one, contact your local police immediately, they could be in your school!"  
  
Tobias shook his head smiling and they continued to an abandoned demountable building/classroom. As they entered, Almika saw a few tables and chairs and walls full of writing, graffiti and tags. Two people sat up one end of the classroom, one male, on female. The guy looked pretty normal, t-shirt, shorts, sneakers, but the girl had green spiked hair, light-blue eyes and more earrings than Almika could count.  
  
"Hi, I'm Adelphe, this' Lyndon." The girl said.  
  
"Lyndon, you should've seen what Almika did to the others!" Tobias smiled.  
  
"Oh yes?" Lyndon asked, his british accent flowing delicately on the air.  
  
"She locked them in the space with her powers. You should have seen them go mental!" Tobias laughed.  
  
"Good going Almika, but you realise that they will now go to their parents and tell them that youre a mutie?" Lyndon asked.  
  
"They haven't a clue that I have powers, it was a huge wind that blew the gates closed and I didn't touch the lock, it fell shut." Almika smirked.  
  
"Where's everyone else Adelphe?" Tobias asked as the door slammed shut behind him.  
  
"Well, Briant and Jaydis are talking with Ms Stanley to see if she'll teach them sign and Reuben, well, he's just come in stylish as always." Adelphe smiled, her eyes not leaving the pen she spun in mid-air before her.  
Almika turned to face a tall, well-built young man, who wore boots, black pants, a frilled white shirt and marroon coat with a large black trench-coat over it all. His dark curly hair bounced around as she walked and a small bag hung across his shoulders. Almika smiled gently to him as she gazed into his emerald-green eyes.  
  
"Ahh, our resident blood-sucking vampire." Tobias introduced him, smirking.  
  
"Greetings Almika, gorgeously dressed as always, looking stunning... how could I expect any less?" Reuben smiled a fanged grin as he took her gloved hand, kissing it.  
  
Almika blushed rosy-pink and smiled quietly as Rueben gazed into her eyes. For a moment Almika feared she would be pulled into his eyes, the green, beauty of his eyes.  
  
"Reuben, do we have to warn you about the 'no-blood-sucking' rule again?" Lyndon teased, as he unknowingly broke the fear in Almika's heart.  
  
"Lyndon, you know me, I wouldn't." Reuben said boyishly, letting his fangs retract.  
  
"Don't take any notice or Rueben Almika, he's just kidding with you. I wish he wouldn't scare people like that." Adelphe smiled.  
  
"Yeah, don't take any notice of Reuben." Reuben sarcastically spat, "He's only going to bite your neck, drink your blood and screw your brains out."  
  
Almika raised one eyebrow to Reuben's reaction, not noticing the argument entering the room nearby. Briant and Jaydis entered soon after, following the noise.  
  
"Guys, quit it." Tobias warned.  
  
"What happened this time?" Lyndon asked.  
  
"Get this..." Jaydis started, "We're in the computer room, and I'm trying to finish that English essay that has to be in next week and this warty, toad-faced, brainless dope decided he was going to lose it all for me!"  
  
"Jaydis is an immature, over-acting, pimply-faced teenage prima-donah." Briant said in his defence as he pushed Jaydis.  
  
As the fight broke out again, Almika raised her hands and spun two golden ropes around them so they couldn't move. The two of them struggled helplessly and yelled to be let go.  
  
"SHUT UP!!" Almika screamed, " Even I can hear you two bitching like two old hags!"  
  
Tobias laughed quietly to himself as they turned quiet.  
  
"I'll let you go if you promise to be quiet and stop arguing." Almika reasoned.  
  
Jaydis and Briant nodded sullenly, the ropes falling away to thin air.  
  
"Almika, these would be our twins. It's a rare occasion from them to be quiet, thanks for shutting them up." Adelphe smiled.  
  
"Anytime, they were starting to give me a headache" Almika giggled.  
  
The bell rang suddenly and they picked up their bags. After their last lesson, Almika got a lift home with Oriola and as they pulled in to the driveway, she could see Reuben standing upon the front lawn with two horses, one black, one brown. Almika hopped out of the car excitedly and smiled, "Hello Reuben."  
  
"Almika, Oriola... I was wondering if you would like to come for a horse ride with me Almika." Reuben asked, his eyebrows lifting slightly in question.  
  
"Sure Almika, go, have fun... it's nice to see you're making friends." Oriola smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Almika smiled, taking the reins of the brown horse and pulling herself up to the saddle, Reuben following her lead.  
  
They started at a slow pace, walking the horses along the grass.  
  
"Reuben, how did you know Oriola's name, how come she wasn't surprised?" Almika asked, curious for an answer.  
  
"I know who you, Oriola and Ms Stanley, well, Faith, are... I'm a vampire, it's my duty to know these things." Reuben smiled to her.  
  
"You know the legends?" Almika asked.  
  
"Of course I do Almika... look, we'll talk about this when we get to the cave on my parent's property." Reuben said.  
  
They rode for another 5 minutes before the cave came into sight, the small pond out front of it glimmering in the fading sunlight. Dismounting from the horses, they let them drink from the pond as they sat under the shelter of the caves roof, away from the heat.  
  
"So come on Reuben, tell me what you know..." Almika urged.  
  
"I know that you and your sisters, Oriola and Faith are the three sisters from the legend of the Triangle of Power. Your mother, Cinder, left you in Oriola's care when you were very young. You have been training with Master Nelstath since you were old enough to talk and walk." Reuben rattled off.  
  
"So, you know a fair bit of my life... how?" Almika asked.  
  
"I was taught by my grandfather, a vampire, before he died, about 5 years ago. He taught me how to subdue my urges and about the legend. He once told me that I should be careful around the youngest of the sisters, as she was not evil, but very enticing and beautiful, maybe he was right..." Reuben explained.  
  
"How does Oriola know that you know?" Almika asked.  
  
"I spoke with her the first day you came to the school. She came to me, knowing that you would eventually meet me and she asked me to keep an eye on you while at school, because she couldn't." Reuben said.  
  
They sat in the cool shade of the cave for what seemed like hours, not saying a word, just enjoying the fact they weren't alone. As it became very dark, almost black, Almika broke the silence with a fact that she regretted.  
  
"Oriola will start worrying about me soon, wondering why I'm not home yet... I should get back." Almika admitted.  
  
"Ok." Reuben sighed, rocking to his feet sadly and helping Almika to stand.  
  
They stood no more than centimetres from each other for what seemed like a life time, just staring into each others eyes. Reuben leaned forward suddenly, taking Almika's hands in his as he moved to kiss her. Almika, scared, pulled away from him, she looked fearful into his eyes glancing and ran to the horse, riding it as fast as it would go until she got home. She sent the horse home to Reuben's alone and walked inside to find Oriola cooking.  
  
"How was the ride Almika?" Oriola asked.  
  
"It... it was great." Almika lied.  
"What's happened? You're as white as a ghost!" Oriola asked, stepping away from the stove to pull a chair from the kitchen bench out for her to sit on.  
  
"He... Reuben... He tried to kiss me and I ran... I was scared..." Almika tried to explain as she shook violently.  
  
"He did? I never took him as the kind to just do that. Must be something coming over him." Oriola said surprised.  
  
"Yeah, there is Oriola... it's called the legend and it's also called something his grandfather once told him." Almika scoffed.  
  
"Oh dear. I should have known that it would be a problem when I spoke to him." Oriola sighed, stirring the dinner absently.  
  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 3: Another legend comes alive  
  
"So, what'd you do last night?" Adelphe asked Almika, as they watched the busy street from their place outside a café on the main street, sipping their espressos slowly.  
  
"Not much... went for a horse ride with Reuben, talked a bit... he tried to kiss me and I ran like a scared little wimp." Almika shrugged, taking another sip.  
  
"Not much! I can't believe that Reuben tried to kiss you!" Adelphe cried in shock.  
  
Almika shrugged, "Yeah, and to think that I was afraid of him. That's just embarrassing."  
  
"Mmm, it's nothing to embarrassed about Al, I mean, if he tried that on me, I'd run too..." Adelphe said.  
  
"Hello ladies..." a familiar voice came from behind them.  
  
Turning around curious, they saw Lyndon standing there, just watching them quietly. Adelphe motioned for Lyndon to sit with them, and he obliged them by doing so.  
  
"So, Reuben tells me you're frigid Almika?" Lyndon smiled.  
  
"Screw this... go away Lyndon, if that's all you've come to speak about, I don't want to hear about it. And no, I'm not frigid, I just don't feel the need to kiss a vampire... happy?" Almika snapped at him.  
  
"Hey, hey, that's not all I came to speak to you about." Lyndon smiled, "Me, Reuben and Tobias got letters in the mail today, strange ones... some gifted and talented school offering us scholarships. We were wondering if either of you got one?"  
  
"I don't know. I haven't been home all day." Adelphe shrugged.  
  
"Me neither. What about Jaydis and Briant? Have you asked them if they got one?" Almika asked.  
  
"Yeah, Tobias rang them earlier, they didn't get one... but we were wondering if you two had. Maybe it might be an idea to check it out." Lyndon suggested.  
  
Almika nodded to Lyndon's suggestion, finishing her espresso quickly, "Well, if we wanna find out, lets go... we'll stop off at Del's place on the way to mine. I'll tell the others to meet us there."  
  
"Sounds good." Adelphe agreed.  
  
When the three of them finally arrived at Almika's, Reuben and Tobias were already there, sitting on the front porch waiting.  
  
"Take all day next time guys..." Tobias smiled, jokingly.  
  
"We had to go via Del's, and you know how far out that is..."Almika laughed.  
  
Adelphe shot Almika a deathly glance and smiled. She held an envelope in her hand, unopened, although everyone knew what was in it.  
  
"Almika? You're the only one who doesn't know if you got one..." Reuben said, stating the obvious.  
  
"Ahh, but I do know. I knew the second Oriola went to get the mail this morning. I don't have telepathy for nothing." Almika smiled sadly, "So, have fun at the school guys."  
  
"You didn't get one?" Tobias asked, worried.  
  
"Of course I did! I didn't say have fun without me, did I?!" Almika laughed.  
  
"So, is it worth going?" Reuben asked.  
  
"Dear, dear Reuben, you know so much about me, but you know nothing of Professor Charles Xavier, his school, the X-men?" Almika sighed.  
  
"It's the X-men school? Wow! How did we manage to get offered places there?!" Tobias cried, shocked.  
  
The screen door behind them creaked softly, as a feminine voice said, "I spoke to an old friend of mine... that's how."  
  
"Faith? What are you doing here?" Almika cried happily as she saw the figure come out of the house.  
  
"Hey, you're my sisters... I can't live the rest of my life without seeing you ever again, especially with you hopefully going to school far away from here one day." Faith smiled, hugging Almika.  
"I knew there was an alternative reason for us to get these offers!" Almika laughed, "You just want to get rid of your little sis, right?"  
  
"No, I was advised by mother. She said it would be safer for you to be there instead of here where you can't use your powers to their full ability." Faith admitted.  
  
"Looks like we have to go now, don't it?" Reuben said.  
  
"C'mon guys, inside... I wanna read this letter of mine..." Almika motioned them to follow her.  
  
As everyone entered the lounge room, which was considerably large compared to the rest of the house, a shocked look came over Almika's face.  
  
"What's the 'I've just seen a ghost' look for Al?" Adelphe asked.  
  
"Um, guys... have you noticed who is in the kitchen with Oriola?" Almika asked, peeking another look.  
  
Everyone was suddenly up out of their seats, looking curiously into the kitchen, trying to see who it was.  
  
"Almika..."Oriola called, "Stop being a busy-body and come in here... and don't forget to bring everyone with you."  
  
Almika blushed slightly before entering the kitchen with everyone in tow. They crowded around her and the door, straining to see in, their anxious eyes almost falling out of their heads.  
  
"Almika, you know of Rouge, Rouge, this is Almika, my youngest sister." Oriola smiled as she introduced them.  
  
"Hi." Almika smiled, a small wave all she could manage.  
  
"Ah'm glad to farnilly meet ya Almika." Rouge said, smiling gently.  
  
"Rouge is going to be staying here a week with us, and that's also how long you have to decide whether you are going back to the school with her." Oriola explained, "That goes for all of you, a week is the absolute limit."  
  
"Well, my mind is made... I'm going." Adelphe smiled, "I've been dreaming of something like this for years."  
  
"Same, count me in." Reuben added.  
"I'd have to talk to my mother first. Just to make sure she's alright with it all." Tobias shrugged, "Lyndon?"  
  
"Well, yeah, s'pose... this place isn't going to get me anywhere soon." Lyndon shrugged as he smiled.  
  
"Don't count on me yet... I'm not sure I'm ready to just up and leave it all... especially for a place I've never been." Almika sighed.  
  
"Almika, ya'll fit right in... ah'm sure of it." Rouge explained.  
  
"Let me think about it first... I want to be sure that I'm ready before I do it." Almika sighed, running off.  
  
Almika wandered down across the paddocks of green and yellow, grass and tiny daises in little bunches around the ground. Her mind was blank, she thought of nothing at all and didn't know where she was going, where she would stop walking. Looking around, Almika found herself near the cave and pond that Reuben had shown her, the night he had tried to kiss her. She leant down by the edge of the pond, crouched so that she could see her reflection and just stared at her face.  
  
"Almika, you alright?" she heard a few moments later.  
  
"I'm fine Reuben leave me alone." She replied.  
  
"Look, I'm worried about you Almika... I do care for you, deeply." Reuben admitted, walking into view.  
  
"You do?" Almika asked, her eyes widened with surprise.  
  
"Of course I do silly. You're a really great person Almika, no matter how many problems you have, no matter how much you might not like what you are, no matter how much you hate me, I'm always going to care for you, if not love you." Reuben said, his hand touching her shoulder gently.  
  
"You're lying... you're just saying it so that you can screw me over like every other person has that I have ever truly loved." Almika cried, the tears running down her face as she turned away from him.  
  
Reuben put his hand softly on her shoulders and his cheek to the base of her neck as he whispered, "Al, I love you. Please believe me. I have never met another girl like you, who makes me think like you do, who makes me believe that anything is possible, a girl who makes my knees go weak every time I see her, a girl I dream about every night when I'm lying in bed alone, the girl I hope loves me the way I love her."  
  
Almika sighed and whispered in a crackled voice, "Reuben, do you really want me to come with you?"  
  
"Yes..." Reuben replied.  
  
Almika turned around, holding his head gently in her hands as she stretched upwards, brushing her lips across his in a small kiss. When their lips parted, Almika smiled to him and whispered, "I'm going with you."  
  
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

Title: Xanatos...Apprentice, Scoundrel, Apprentice Part 6  
Author: Meatball  
Rating: PG13  
Summary: still having a few marital problems, but maybe things are looking up?  
Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything and everyone. I make no money from this, wahhhh.  
  
*****  
  
Xanatos stared at the tableau in front of him, dumfounded...his wife, lying naked in bed (from what he could see), with the man she had *really* wanted to marry, kneeling on the bed beside her, naked as well. Uhhhh....he thought...it was as coherent a thought as he could muster, under the circumstances.  
  
"Oh!" Leita gasped, catching sight of her husband. Sevek turned around, nearly as surprised as she.  
  
"WHAT the..." Xanatos began. Leita interrupted him, as Sevek stood up, grinning, revealing that he was indeed wearing underwear.   
  
"Xanatos...you're early!!"  
  
His composure returning, he replied, silkily, "Is that a problem? Would you like me to leave, so you two can finish what you were...what *were* you doing?" he finished, noting the odd selection of instruments sitting on the bed beside Leita. His gaze travelling around the room, he noticed Sevek's clothes lying on a nearby chair, drying...with what looked like an odd ink stain on the front of them.  
  
"Don't worry, Jedi", Sevek replied, smirking. "I was just giving Leita a tattoo...I'm a tattoo artist in my spare time."  
  
"Uh-huh..."  
  
"She knocked over a tray of supplies on me when we first got started...that's why I had to take my clothes off to wash them."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"Oh don't be so dense, Jedi!" Leita snapped. "Will you just let Sevek finish this? It hurts, you know!"  
  
His eyes locked with hers. "Right...uhhh...what are you getting for a tattoo?"  
  
She blushed a little, grinning shyly. "Come and see."  
  
He leaned over the bed, curiosity turning into shock at the intricate scrollwork down her back. In delicate, flowing letters, beginning at her shoulderblades and ending at the top of her butt crack was the word "Xanato". The "s" had only been begun. His eyes flew back to hers, questioning.  
  
She blushed a little more, and smiled up at him, still shy. "I did a little thinking this week...that's why I've been avoiding you." He nodded, encouragingly. She continued. "I'm sorry I've been such a bitch. Not only do I owe you my life...but you've been so nice to me, and I haven't given you even half a chance. So, I'd like to start over. And I want you to know that I'm committed to starting over." She winced as Sevek went back to work, finishing the "s" quickly. He was very skilled. Speaking over the buzz of the tattoo implement, she asked, "Are you interested in making things work?"  
  
Xanatos grinned at her in return, his heart lifting. He couldn't explain why he felt so attached to this young stranger who was his wife, but there it was. Feeling strangely buoyant (which was a pretty common feeling for him around her, when he wasn't in the depths of despair), he whipped off his Jedi tunics, turned around, and spoke to Sevek.  
  
"I'm committed, baby...bring it on, Sevek!" Sevek smiled and began to change his needles.  
  
***  
  
Hours later, the two of them snuggled in bed, happily sated. He played with her white and black striped hair, listening to her soft breathing, enjoying the tickle of it as her breath blew on his chest hairs. He pulled her closer, then winced.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Oh, stop squirming."  
  
"This tattoo really hurts!"  
  
"Wimp."  
  
"Oh and you're so tough?"  
  
"Apparently tougher than you are." She snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around his waist, and pressing a quick kiss to his muscly chest.   
  
"Bitch", he chuckled affectionately.  
  
"Crybaby", she teased back. She pushed herself upward a little, propping her elbows on his chest and looking him straight on. "Happy?"  
  
"A lot more than I was a few hours ago."  
  
"Wanna give this crazy marriage thing a real try?"  
  
"Yeahhhhh....you?"  
  
"Yeahhhhh." She nuzzled his nose, and they went to sleep.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Qui Gon smiled at the two, grinning as Xanatos squirmed under his tunics.  
  
"Hurt, Xani?"  
  
"Yeah...Leita, doesn't yours hurt?"  
  
"Yes, but I'm not a crybaby over it." She giggled as he swatted her butt.  
  
"So are you two planning to take some time off? You know, a honeymoon of sorts?"  
  
"Yeah", Xanatos' eyes twinkled. "I was thinking a vacation on Telos?" He looked to his wife for confirmation.  
  
"Sounds good to me", Leita replied.  
  
"That's great", Qui Gon said. "In fact, it'll give me a bit of a vaca...oh, hang on", he broke off, as his commlink chimed, in his bedroom.  
  
Xanatos and Leita continued their breakfast, wondering about the muffled swearing coming from Qui Gon's bedroom. Leita looked puzzled, but Xani knew what was coming, confirmed when he saw the expression on Qui Gon's face.  
  
"Xanatos...I'm sorry", Qui Gon began. Leita interrupted him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Qui Gon looked grim, and spoke apologetically to her. "We've got a mission."  
  
***  
  
"So what!?" Leita stormed, in the privacy of their bedroom. "Why does it have to be you? Why can't some other Jedis go?"  
  
"Leita, I'm sorry, honey!" Xanatos apologized for the tenth or twentieth time. He'd lost track. "That's the way it is...I don't have a choice!"  
  
"Yes you do!" she ranted. "Leave the Jedi! I have more than enough money to support the both of us, and Qui Gon too, in luxury!"  
  
He sighed. "I'm sorry, honey. But we're going. I promise..." He broke off as she turned away. "I promise I'll make it up to you." He moved over to her, hands on her strong little shoulders, and lovingly kissed the back of her bare neck, exposed by her enchanting hair piled loosely on top of her head. Sobbing a little, she turned to bury her head in his chest.  
  
"Ok. I understand. But I'm coming with you."  
  
"Ohhhhh no you're not." He was standing firm on this one. "Don't even think about it."  
  
"I don't have to think about it, I'm doing it."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Frustrated, he ran his hand through his long hair, messing it up. "I said no and I meant no. Don't argue with me."  
  
"Don't tell me what to do."  
  
"Fine, but you're not coming with us and that's all there is to it."  
  
"Yes I am and that's my final word on it. I'm an excellent shot, I'm excellent in hand-to-hand combat, and I'm a good team player. I'll be ready in a few minutes."  
  
Suddenly furious, he snapped at her. "I SAID NO...what part of that did you not understand?"  
  
She turned to glare at him, but he continued. "YOU are staying here! I am going on a mission. I will see you when I return! In the meantime, you will stay here, behave yourself, and maybe learn a little about obeying your..." He ducked to avoid his boots being thrown at his head.  
  
"FINE!!!" She screamed at him. "Get out! Go get yourself killed! See if I care!! Go ahead!! And if you get killed, don't come running to me!! GET OUT!!!!!" She stormed out of the room, while Xanatos scrambled to finish getting ready, cursing under his breath. Women!  
  
***  
  
Leita watched from the shadows of the spaceport hangar...she knew which ship Qui Gon and Xanatos were to be on, and was waiting for a break...there. She snuck inside, quickly and efficiently finding a supply locker in the sick bay. They would use the passenger lockers for their belongings, not the sick bay lockers. So she'd be safe for the moment. Stowing her small survival pack on the top shelf, she tried to make herself comfortable...not an easy task in the small, stuffy space. Soon she heard voices.  
  
"Oh Master, you should have seen her. Honestly, it's too bad I'm not a woman beater, because did she ever deserve it right then."  
  
Qui Gon chuckled. "You even think of it and I'll slice you to ribbons. Don't worry, Xani, she wouldn't be mad if she didn't care about you."  
  
Forlornly, Xanatos answered, "I hope you're right...anyway, I am taking time off with her after this mission."  
  
"I've informed the council already."  
  
"Thanks. Can you believe she actually wanted to come along?"  
  
Qui Gon replied, thoughtfully, "Actually, Xan, she's quite a little fighter...she was showing me her fighting skills and shooting skills...you know, even holding back to avoid hurting me, she kicked my butt. Strong as a little horse, too."  
  
"That's not the point, Master."  
  
"Oh, I know...but if I were you, I wouldn't worry about her. She can take care of herself."  
  
"I think that's what I'm afraid of."  
  
***  
  
Four hours later, Xanatos squirmed again. "Master, do you have any healing ointment?"  
  
"No, Padawan...why do you ask?"  
  
"My tattoo is killing me! I'll check sick bay."  
  
Leita held her breath as she heard his booted footsteps coming closer to the locker...  
  
"What the hell!!"  
  
She winced at the anger on her husband's face....  
  
*****  
  
Of course, TBC... 


	5. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 4: There's only one way to go  
  
The road was forever running, as if it had no end, the dark colour continuing as far as the eyes could see. A dank, clammy heat hung over the car as Almika shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Looking out the window, all she could see was grass and the occasional trees or scrub by the road. Nothing interesting was left to be talked about; there was nothing to do...  
  
The car turned quickly into a long dirt driveway, which looked like it lead nowhere. After another 10 minutes driving, a small object in the distance could be seen if you squinted really, really hard. As they got closer, Almika, Reuben and Tobias, who were the last three to come to the school, looked excitedly to each other. The fence around what looked like a huge mansion at first, and then when you got closer became a group of mansions, was tall, black and practically impenetrable.  
  
"Don't be daunted by the size, it's not all that huge ya know." Rouge smiled to them.  
  
The three of them sat quietly mystified in the car, as the gates seemed to open by their own will and Rouge drove them to the front steps. There were no people around, no noise... only the mansions, some grass and trees and the pebble driveway. Almika hopped out first, brushing down her skirt gently and looking around. Reuben followed soon afterwards and Tobias after that. Rouge had already moved all their bags inside by the time they got to the top stair, still amazed by the pure size of the place more than anything.  
  
"Here ya'll go... ah'm gonna find the others, your rooms are up the stairs to the left. Ya'll find 'em easy enough." Rouge smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Tobias smiled.  
  
Sitting in her room not long afterwards, Almika sighed and started unpacking her things. The room was suitable, dark walls, dark curtains, and a huge bed, everything in the same place as it had been in her room at home. A knock at the door silenced Almika's thoughts.  
  
"Yeah?" Almika called to the door, continuing to pack.  
  
The door creaked open slightly, a small figure coming through the door, it looked small, as the head was far below Almika's.  
  
"Greetings Almika, it's nice to finally meet you." A male voice smiled.  
  
"Professor..." Almika smiled, "Nice of you to drop in on me. How are you these days?"  
  
"I am well, how are you liking it here so far child?" Xavier asked.  
  
"It's wonderful. How did you manage to get me room so perfect?" Almika asked rhetorically.  
  
Xavier laughed softly, a smile spreading across his face, "Did you ever find the answer to those questions you were looking for last time we spoke?"  
  
"No... I still don't know who my father is, not even my own sisters will tell me. Do you know anything about him?" Almika asked, hoping to get some sort of information.  
  
"I know he'd be exceptionally proud of you being here, learning to control your powers, and he'd be glad you were somewhere safe." Xavier smiled.  
  
"C'mon Xavier, I've known you all my life. An answer like that means you're not telling me something..." Almika sighed.  
  
*I can't say it out loud, incase someone hears* Xavier said to her mind.  
  
*Well, tell me what you know Xavier, I'm sick of not knowing.* Almika replied.  
  
*I don't know who he is, or where he is. But I know he loves you Almika. That's all I know.* Xavier reasoned.  
  
"Why is there a problem with other people hearing that?" Almika cried.  
  
"Almika, your father wants to be known to you, but he can't tell you, not now. There are things going on that you don't know about child." Xavier said bluntly.  
  
"Fine, don't tell me. I will find out though." Almika said, returning to her unpacking.  
  
Xavier sighed heavily, shaking his head slightly and removed himself from the room in time for a large siren to sound around the building.  
  
*Almika, follow me, we have a problem.* heard from Xavier's mind.  
  
Almika sighed and ran out, following Xavier's chair all the way to a large meeting room. All the X-men were there, along with Reuben, Tobias, Lyndon and Adelphe. She stood behind Tobias and Lyndon, hoping not to be noticed much.  
"Looks like we got cat problems again Xavier." Wolverine groaned, looking to the security screens.  
  
"Which one?" Xavier asked.  
  
"The big, hairy, ugly one..." Storm smiled.  
  
"Sabertooth..." Xavier whispered.  
  
"Well, let's go! Ah wanna kick his ass!" Rouge urged.  
  
"No Rouge, I want to find out what he wants first." Wolverine smiled.  
  
"That's a first..." Almika heard Gambit whisper under his breath.  
  
As the silence came over the group, Almika glanced around the room, watching everyone's thoughts starting to emerge.  
  
*What the hell is Logan talking about... talking to Sabertooth?* she heard from Storm.  
  
*Maybe he's just come to give a message from Magneto?* was Rouge's thought, *Nah, no way*  
  
As she looked to Wolverine quickly, she noticed his eyes staring straight back at her, as if he knew what she was thinking. Almika gasped quietly and looked away. Luckily Professor Xavier spoke up at that time.  
  
"Ok X-men, it's about time we figured out what Sabertooth wants." Xavier started, "I don't want any of you doing anything stupid, so keep your thoughts straight and concise. Logan, Remy, you two take the front, Scott, Rouge and Storm, stand back in the shadows just incase something happens."  
  
As the X-men started to leave and meet with Sabertooth, on their grounds, Almika spoke up, causing them to stop in their tracks, "What about us Xavier... we may not be as experienced, but we know how to fight."  
  
"Child, I don't want you guys fighting until I know the full extent of your powers." Xavier smiled.  
  
"Dammit Charles, I've known you all my life... you'd think by now that you knew what I'm capable of, cause I sure as hell do!" Almika fought back, walking away angrily.   
  
As Almika exited the room, pushing past Wolverine and Gambit, she heard Wolverine think, *She's feisty.*   
  
"Well of course I'm damn feisty Logan..." Almika spat at him, flicking her hand at him, causing him to fly backwards a few metres and fall heavily on his ass before she stormed off to her room.  
  
Logan looked surprised as he stood, not quite believing that Almika had just done that. Going to follow her, Gambit's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"Forget it Logan, we got cat to scare off." Gambit said.  
  
Wolverine rubbed his hands together and nodded, walking off again towards the entrance, grumbling about interruptions as he went.  
  
Almika watched the situation from the classroom window, although she could only see Wolverine and Sabertooth. Sabertooth held a clear bottle in one hand, half-full with some sort of pale-green liquid and his hip in the other as he spoke. Wolverine, as classy as Almika had always dreamed, had crossed his arms defensively over his chest. Smiling to herself she sighed...  
  
*There's no way it'd ever happen...* Almika thought.  
  
Suddenly, as Almika was lost in her thoughts, she heard a smash from outside where the opponents stood. Her first reaction was to look, her second was to jump out the window, both she committed to reality with grace and finesse. Running towards them, she saw Sabertooth running off in one direction as Logan dropped to the ground, the green liquid covering his body, looking as though it was seeping into his skin.  
  
"Logan!!!" Almika screamed, not considering any other action.  
  
"Almika, don't touch him..." Scott called, running towards them with Rouge and Storm.  
  
Almika stopped by him breathing heavily, looking down at his writhing figure, rolling around on the grass as the liquid seeped into his skin and he screamed painfully, her heart pumped at a million miles an hour and she started to sweat, the shock just hitting her.  
  
"Almika, can you carry him to the sick bay with your powers?" Storm asked her calmly.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Almika nodded, wiping the tear that came from her eye and mixed with the bubbles of sweat on her cheeks.  
  
It was days before Almika saw anyone again. Adelphe brought her the occasional snack and dinner, staying only while she ate and then leaving again.  
  
*This is like school...* Almika thought, *I'm sick of this shit... I'm gonna go for a walk or something...*  
  
Before she even reached the hallway, Xavier called her, *Almika, Wolverine is awake and asking for you.*  
  
Almika slowly let a smile cross her face as she started to run towards the elevator, jumping in and going down to the next level, almost bumping into Cyclops as she ran out of the elevator.  
  
"Hey, hey, what's the rush for?" Cyclops asked, regaining his balance.  
  
"Logan's woken up... apparently he's asking for me..." Almika puffed, running off again...  
  



	6. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 5: Another turmoil situation...maybe  
  
Outside the window, the rain poured, pelting heavily on the mansions roof. It hadn't stopped raining in three days and everyone was starting to get a little on edge about everything and everyone. Reuben and Almika hadn't spoken since the Sabertooth situation, and it had started to worry Almika, maybe he didn't love her anymore. Shrugging off the depressing thoughts, she hopped out of bed and looked at her watch.  
  
*7am, already?* Almika thought, surprised as she bundled some clothes in her arms and headed towards the shower.  
  
At this very same time, Remy and Logan stood in the entrance to the Professor's office, talking quietly to each other.  
  
"Hey, don't get all uptight about this man, but you know... I'm thinking that Almika has a soft spot for ya." Remy smiled, friendly punching Logan on the arm.  
  
Logan glanced evilly to Remy, warning him not to say anymore. Remy, being himself, just shrugged and smiled. Logan pushed open the door slowly, hoping that Xavier would be in.  
  
"What's troubling you Logan?" Xavier asked before they could even put a foot in the door.  
  
"It's all this rain... everyone's going crazy..." Remy said.  
  
"Well, it's about time I got Almika into the Danger Room, but I don't have time... if you two want to do it... it's yours." Xavier said, not looking up.  
  
Remy looked curiously to Logan, who shrugged uncaringly, "Sure, we'll do it. What about Reuben, Tobias, Lyndon and Adelphe?"  
  
"Regretfully, I have to tell Almika that they are going home... Adelphe is homesick, Tobias' mother rang with family problems, Reuben is just leaving, he won't say why and Lyndon's family are moving back to England and he wants to go with them. None of them are returning either, so you'll have to be careful what you say around Almika, she's going to be a little lonely for some time." Xavier warned.  
  
"That's ok. I can help Almika today... keep an eye on the kid." Logan smiled.  
  
"She's not that much younger than you Logan and she's no kid." Remy admitted.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. I'm gona go find her so we can start in the Danger Room as soon as possible." Logan shrugged, walking off.  
  
"Remy, why is Logan being so uptight?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Well, I kinda mentioned that Almika might have a thing for him, and now he's real pissed off." Remy admitted.  
  
Almika pulled the dark purple top over her head, slipping her arms into the sleeves and grabbing her strapped black dress as she threw it on. A knock at the door came as she sat on her bed, pulling her long black socks and shoes on. Logan walked in suddenly.  
  
"What's the password?" Almika asked, noticing him.  
  
"Xavier wants me to watch you in the Danger Room today..." Wolverine said, wandering in.  
  
"Hey! What if I was sitting in here naked?!" Almika smiled, blushing a little at her own words.  
  
Logan shrugged, looking over her room slowly, "You weren't kid, so don't think about it."  
  
"What time do you wanna watch me screw around with monsters?" Almika asked, doing up her boots.  
  
"Whenever you're ready... I'm not doing anything today because it's still raining." Logan smiled.  
  
"Well, let us have something to eat and I'll meet you there... about 1/2 hr?" Almika asked.  
  
"Sounds good." Logan said, disappearing out the door again.  
  
Almika sighed as he left, breathing deeply to keep herself calm. He was just as she'd imagined him all her life, handsome, mysterious, a challenge. She quickly ran around to have breakfast and down to the 2nd sub-basement, her hair messed by the running. As she waited for Logan, she pulled her hair back, tying it in a ponytail down her back. She sat in the gymnasium outside the Danger Room, patiently, as she whistled a tune.  
  
"Sorry I'm late kid... got caught up with Gambit... silly idiot has this notion that you have something for me..." Logan smiled, running in.  
"That's ok..." Almika said, seeming a little sad.  
  
"What is it Almika?" Logan asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing... just thinking about something..." Almika sighed.  
  
"Well, let's get you started on this thing... I'll give ya a few minutes on easy to see how ya go..." Logan said quickly, turning to the control panel.  
  
Almika sighed again 20 minutes later, "C'mon Logan, this is too easy. Give me something to do or I may have to come out there and do something about it." She said, flicking away a large imaginary bear.  
  
"Fine..." Logan shrugged, pushing the nodule up a smidge more.  
  
It was another hour before Almika came out, a little sweaty, but happy.  
  
"I'm going for a shower... damn do I need a shower!" Almika laughed.  
  
"No ya don't. I think you smell beautiful, as always." Logan looked to her, his eyes piercing her again.  
  
*It's those eyes... that's why I feel so infatuated...* Almika thought to herself suddenly.  
  
*Damn she's beautiful... I wonder if she really does like me as Gambit says?* Logan thought, Almika hearing it instantly.  
  
"Do you mean that Logan?" Almika asked.  
  
"Mean what? That you smell beautiful? I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it kid." Logan smiled as they walked away from the Danger Room.  
  
"You don't know much of my abilities, do you?" Almika asked.  
  
"Not really, should I?" Logan asked, curious as to what she meant.  
  
"Well, you should probably be careful about what you think when around me... for starters..." Almika admitted, "I don't have control over what I hear people think sometimes."  
  
Logan looked confused to her for a second and then stopped walking, Almika stopping not far from him and walking to him.  
  
"So you heard what I thought?" Logan asked.  
  
Almika nodded, a small smile coming across her face.  
  
"Anything you'd like to add?" Logan asked.  
  
"Well, there is one thing... yes, she does." Almika smirked, running off.  
  
Logan smiled and ran after her, chasing her to the next level and then, after just missing the elevator, into the rec room where he found her talking to Cyclops.  
  
"What are you running for now Almika?" Scott asked.  
  
"Umm... that." Almika smiled, pointing to Logan.  
  
"Logan, why are you making Almika run?" Scott asked him confused.  
  
"She has to be healthy, and running is good for ya, right?" Logan said, quickly thinking of an excuse.  
  
"Well, if you're going to make her run, do it outside." Scott sighed.  
  
"Ok, c'mon Almika, outside and I wanna see you running faster than me." Logan said.  
  
Almika smiled as she sped out of the rec room and out the front door, straight down the stairs and out onto the grass, Logan chasing close behind her. He started to catch up as she slowed a little, trying to save some of her breath. Suddenly he tackled her to the ground gently, landing beside her and laughing heartily as the rain fell on them.  
  
"Why was I running from you?" Almika asked, turning to face him.  
  
"Umm, oh yeah, ya said that something I thought was true." Logan smiled, remembering.  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember now... you thought, and I quote, 'I wonder if she really does like me as Gambit says' and my answer was 'yes, she does'... why did you chase after me?" Almika asked suddenly confused.  
  
Logan looked boyish for a second and sighed, "'Cause I were gonna kiss ya, but ya ran off, it was the only way I'd get that kiss out of ya, if at all."  
  
Almika leant down to Logan, still lying on his back on the grass, taking his head in her cool hands and breathed deeply as she kissed him softly upon the lips, not wanting it to stop.  
  
*Almika, I'd stop that if I were you...* Almika heard from Xavier.  
  
Almika leant back and groaned sadly, "Oh shit!"  
  
"Am I that good?!" Logan joked, laughing as he sat up.  
  
"Nah, it's not that. The Professor just spoke to me, you know, up here." Almika explained, pointing to her forehead.  
  
"What did 'e say?" Logan asked worriedly.  
  
"That I should stop kissing you." Almika blushed, "I think he can see us from his office."  
  
"Gettin' in touch wiv nature are we?" a deep male voice called from near the fence.  
  
"What the..." Logan gasped, turning to see who it was, "Toad!!"  



	7. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 6: The return of old and new  
  
It was amazing how a green, yet muscular man, with the abilities of stickiness, and more stickiness, could light up the mansion. The Toad, or Toad, as he was referred to, was well known and an old friend of the X-men. However his lady-friend, Alena, a quiet, reserved girl, who looked a little younger than Almika, either wasn't as well known, or feared. During dinner that night, she sat near Toad, and Almika only saw her speak to three other people, Xavier, Logan and Rogue. All through dinner, Almika watched carefully as the conversation seemed to never end and straight after dinner, everyone except for her, seemed to involve themselves in a 'reminiscing night', where they all sat in the rec room, talking about old times and how things had changed. Almika, feeling a little left out, wandered off to her room slowly, no thoughts crossing her mind whatsoever. Slamming the door behind her, she jumped; a little scared by her own strength. Lying on her bed, Almika pretended to listen to the rain she saw still pelting down outside her window. She didn't see the door open, or the short figure walk in, she didn't hear the footsteps to her side, but she did she the shadow...  
  
Almika gasped, looking upwards to the owner of the shadow.  
  
"Hi... you're Almika, right?" Toad asked, smiling to her.  
  
"Umm, yeah..." Almika said, not quite sure of him.  
  
"I knocked, but you didn't answer, wasn't sure if you'd heard me." Toad explained.  
  
"I'm deaf, that's why." Almika explained.  
  
"Oh..." Toad whispered.  
  
"Don't worry about it... everyone seems to walk in on me... there's no use knocking..." Almika said, smiling.  
  
"Do you mind if I..." Toad asked, motioning to the end of her bed.  
  
"Go ahead..." Almika smiled.  
  
Toad jumped onto the end of Almika's bed, crouching and keeping to his namesake. Almika sat up to be eye-level with him.  
  
"You've been awful quiet since I arrived... something wrong?" Toad asked.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong..." Almika lied.  
  
Toad cocked his head to one side questionably, "There's something wrong, I can see it in your eyes... but if you don't want to tell me, that's alright."  
  
Almika sighed... she couldn't keep anything from anyone, she'd never been able to, "I feel a little left out... everyone else seems to know you except me."  
  
Toad smiled comfortingly, "Ah... well, I'm Mortimer Toynbee... aka Toad. It's not often that I meet one of Xavier's favourite students on good terms to begin with."  
  
"What do you mean?" Almika asked, confused.  
  
"Usually when I meet a student that Xavier raves about face-to-face, they tend to be a little narky... I think it's because they think of my past with Magneto." Toad shrugged.  
  
"Well, I don't know of you... I'm not really big on other mutants..." Almika said.  
  
"You sort of remind me of 'Lena..." Toad smiled.  
  
"'Lena?" Almika asked.  
  
"The lady I came with?" Toad said.  
  
"Oh, yeah... she seems very reserved and quiet..." Almika admitted.  
  
"A smidge maybe..." Toad smiled.  
  
"What's all the talk in here for?" Logan joked, striding in looking important.  
  
Toad looked straight to him and smiled. Almika, unsure what was going on, looked around and smiled.  
  
"Hey doll..." Logan smiled to her as he stood beside her bed, "Thought I might find ya's up here."  
  
"Anyone wondering where we are other than you?" Toad asked.  
  
"Alena was asking where you'd gone... she's busy with Rogue now doing who knows what." Logan explained.  
  
"I suppose I had better go find her." Toad grinned, "I'll see you both later..."  
  
Toad hopped off her bed and stood straight, walking out the door closing it quietly after himself.  
"So, what's got ya'll quiet?" Logan asked, lying on her bed facing her.  
  
Almika stared into his eyes... she couldn't help it... every time she looked at him, she watched his eyes intensely..."You all seem so close... I feel like I'm intruding."  
  
Logan just shrugged...  
  
"I'm going to get some sleep..." Almika smiled to him.  
  
"Ok kiddo... sleep well." Logan smiled, and he left without another word.  
  
When Almika woke the next morning, the sun shone brightly across her bed. Almika stretched and sighed, finally the sun had come out and the days seemed to get better. Almika jumped out of bed, not bothering to make it as always and grabbed the clothes that hung across the back of a chair as she made her way to the shower.  
  
"Mornin' Almika... sleep well?" Rogue asked as she stumbled down the stairs and Rogue wandered up them.  
  
"Yeah, pretty well." Almika smiled to her.  
  
As Almika entered the kitchen, she saw Toad and Alena making breakfast, "Good morning to you both." She smiled.  
  
Toad turned to glance at her and smiled, "Good morning to you too Almika... someone seems to have slept well."  
  
Almika nodded.  
  
"That's strange, everyone except for you and I couldn't sleep last night..." Alena smiled to her, "I'm Alena."  
  
"Almika..." she smiled, taking the milk from the fridge to make herself coffee.  
  
She sat at the kitchen bench, looking out the window, staring as she sipped her coffee.  
  
*Child, when you're able, can you come to my office?* Xavier called her.  
  
*I'll be there soon.* Almika replied.  
  
Almika stood at Xavier's door a moment before she entered, wondering why he called her.  
*Almika, sit down...* Xavier said, still speaking to her mind.  
  
*What's so important?* Almika asked.  
  
*I have some news for you... your friends have all gone home child... they couldn't stay...* Xavier said, *and during the night, Logan wandered off, I don't know where he is or when he'll come back...*  
  
Almika was silent in voice and mind for at least 5 minutes before she said, "Did he say anything about where he was going?"  
  
Xavier looked to her, his eyes slightly saddened and shook his head slowly, "He didn't say anything, or leave a note..."  
  
Almika walked from the office, not really noticing anything and outside to the grass, the exact spot where they had lay together just a day before and just lay there, not thinking...  



	8. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: All characters, other than Almika and Alena belong to Marvel, they are not mine... Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime and if you wish to use her, ask before you do... if you wish to use Almika for anything, please email me with a description of what...  
  
Chapter Seven: Torrential Waters  
  
It had been 3 days since Logan had disappeared and 4 days since her friends had left the mansion, and still, Almika felt confused and alone. She didn't know why Logan had gone without saying goodbye, if not to her, to Xavier. She had a million thoughts a minute, wondering where he was, hoping he was alright. Toad and Alena were still staying at the mansion, in a room not far from hers. Toad had come and woken her up about 11am that morning, she'd only gotten 3, maybe 4 hours sleep at the most, but even so, she'd gotten up and somehow agreed to practise in the Danger Room with him and Alena. She stood at the door to the Gymnasium, waiting for Toad to come down while Alena looked around the Gymnasium. She was a slim girl, maybe 19 years old, she had green/brown toad-like eyes and green/black wavy hair. Almika hadn't talked to her much, but then, she hadn't talked much at all.  
  
"Let's go..." Toad said, walking in past Almika.  
  
"I have something to tell you that might help while we're here..." Almika jumped in. Toad and Alena turned to her suddenly as she added, "I won't be able to hear what you're saying while we do this, and it's too hard to try and read your lips while I fight, so if it's alright, I'll read your thoughts..."  
  
Toad nodded and smiled to her as he started up the program.  
  
It was only on easy again, and Almika wandered around bored, wondering when the fun would start. She thought of it as fun because it took her mind off whatever was happening in her life.  
  
"Booorrriiinnnggg!!!!!" Almika cried as she threw away a monster with a slight flick of her hand.  
  
*Sorry Almika... but it's been ages since I've done this here... * Toad thought, *What level would you prefer?*  
  
"Put it up 2 levels, let's get some sweat going here!" Almika called.  
  
The program was upgraded almost instantly and Almika smiled as she threw a black ball of energy at one monster while she had another come at her from behind.  
  
An hour later, the program stopped suddenly and Almika looked around confused to see Alena and Toad looking the same to her.  
  
"What's going on?" Almika asked.  
  
Toad shrugged, "Maybe Xavier knows?"  
  
*Why has the program stopped in the Danger Room Xavier?* Almika thought.  
  
*I don't know child... all our systems are down, I'm calling a meeting in the Great Hall now.* Xavier replied.  
  
"All systems down, meeting's being called in the Hall now." Almika said to Toad and Alena as she ran off, noticing out the corner of her eye as they followed her.  
  
When Almika arrived at the Hall, it was filling up fast...  
  
*He must have called the whole school!* Almika thought, surprised.  
  
She saw Cyclops, Rogue, Xavier, Toad, Gambit and Storm all starting to move up to one end of the Hall, facing the growing group.  
  
"We don't have much time... something has taken out our systems, including the security, we need groups of people to scour the grounds to look for whatever it might have been." Xavier said, "If you don't feel able to control your powers well enough, you can stay here in the Hall until we've sorted it out... everyone else, outside..."  
  
Almika was one of the first out the door, along with Alena, although surprisingly, a lot of the students stayed in the Hall, more than 3/4 of them had stayed behind.  
  
*Almika, take one group of 10-15 and keep in contact... go around the left of the mansions... * Xavier told her.  
  
"Ok, I need 10 or so of you coming with me... we're going around the left side of the property... " Almika cried as she looked to Alena, "Wanna come with me?"  
  
Alena nodded, her lips forming a smile as they ran off with 11 other students.  
  
"Keep your eyes open for anything!" Almika reminded them as they got to the boundary of the property and turned to their right, almost bumping into a huge, red, mechanical monster.  
  
*Sentinels!!!* Almika cried to everyone who could hear her.  
  
*Get the other students inside Almika...* Xavier said to her.  
  
*Not enough time... there's only one, as far as I can see, but we almost ran into it before we saw it.* Almika said.  
Before Almika could even start her fly, she looked up to see Alena scrambling quickly up the front of the Sentinel, making it look easy. Almika smiled as she lifted herself from the ground and called to the other students, "It's your choice, fight or run... don't be afraid to run, there's nothing wrong with it!"  
  
Almika threw her energy balls at it's head, her aim exceptionally accurate so that she wouldn't hit Alena, who was spitting green blobs of acid at the back of it's neck, opening up the Sentinel's inner workings.  
  
Other students, who had stuck around, used their abilities to the groups advantage, some taking out it's legs, others pelting it with weapons. Almika stopped for a moment, watching as the rest of them brought the Sentinel to the ground, the final straw being when Alena spat a huge blob of acid into the mechanics of the inhuman being. As the Sentinel fell, Alena jumped off, landing safely upon the grass some 10 ft away.  
  
*One down, how many to go?* Almika asked as she sailed gently to the ground.  
  
*Seems to be the only one... how it got past us I don't know... better get everyone inside.* Xavier replied.  
  
"Come on, we've got to get back inside, orders from the Professor." Almika smiled.  
  
In the kitchen, soon afterwards, Almika sighed happily, the security was back up and everything was running again, as if nothing had happened. She took an apple from the fridge, not really watching what she was doing and pushed closed the door, turning towards the door.   
  
Almika gasped, almost choking on her apple, then smiled, "Sorry Rogue... didn't see ya there."  
  
"That's ok sugah, jus' watch where ya goin' next time..." Rogue smiled.  
  
Almika nodded and kept walking towards the classroom, where she was meant to be learning about her powers. Although she was supposed to be there about 10 minutes earlier, Almika shrugged and smiled to Cyclops as she walked in, taking her seat up the back. He looked sternly to her, and then continued with the lesson.  
  
"Ok students, we're going to continue with learning about your powers today... you should all know, to some extent what your powers are and not all of you can control them, but some of you can... " Cyclops said, "One by one, can you stand up, tell us your main ability and how it can come in handy in a situation against say... a Sentinel..."  
  
A small boy from the front of the class stood up first and said, "My power is my namesake, Dirt, it comes in handy in the way that I can force the ground to grow under the Sentinel and make it fall over."  
  
They each, around the class said their little bit until it came to Almika.  
  
"Almika, your turn..." Cyclops said to her.  
  
She stood, looking around the class, "Which power ya want Scott? I got three that are damn good in battle." She said, calling him by his real name, whereas all the others called him Cyclops.  
  
"Well, I suppose we have time for all three if you want to give them..." Cyclops smiled.  
  
"Sure... I can fly, therefore any ground-based attack I can dodge, my psychic and psionic powers allow me to talk to others or hear there thoughts where I cannot because of my deafness and my energy balls blow things up, therefore eradicating my opponents... eventually."  
  
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear from you Almika... " Cyclops smiled to her as she sat.  
  
*Thought so... * she thought, smiling.  
  
After the class was over, Almika wandered out last, but not before Cyclops. He tapped her shoulder, getting her to turn around.  
  
"I don't think you need to take this class Almika... I'm going to speak to Charles about you having exemption from it... and the controlling powers class as well." He said to her.  
  
"Ok, thanks..." Almika smiled.  
  
"Want to come with me now?" Cyclops asked.  
  
Almika nodded and they walked to Xavier's office, passing Alena on the way.  
  
"Hey Almika." Alena smiled.  
  
As they entered Xavier's office, they found him talking to Storm.  
  
"Yes, that makes sense... it could be an idea if she'll agree." Xavier said.  
  
"I'm sure she would..." Storm smiled.  
  
"Ah, hello Scott, Almika..." Xavier smiled to them.  
  
"I have a request Professor..." Cyclops said, "Can Almika be exempt from the controlling your powers and knowing your powers classes... she seems to be able to handle her powers and she knows them well."  
  
"Actually, Ororo and I were just speaking about you Almika... yes, the exemption is reasonable, you can have those classes off Almika, as long as you train in the Danger Room under Scott's watch for at least 3 hours a week in replace of the classes you won't be at." Xavier smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Almika smiled, "I've got study to do... I'm going to have to leave you to it now."  
  
"Come and see me tomorrow about scheduling your replacement class, ok?" Cyclops said.  
  
"Sure..." Almika nodded, leaving the office.  
  
Almika went straight to her room, pulling out a thick book, and her pencil case. Opening the book to a clean sheet of white paper, Almika paused for a second before she pulled out a pencil and started drawing. To begin with, she didn't know what she would be drawing until the figure started to show, someone that she had never seen before, and didn't know of, a male, climbing the side of a building....  



	9. Default Chapter Title

Chapter Eight - You never see it in the dark  
  
In the next day's class, for which Almika already knew the work and had passed with flying colours, she sat alone drawing more on the drawing she has started the day before. The man was no ordinary man. He had three fingers on each hand and the same amount of toes on each foot and protruding from a spot upon his lower back came a long tail, which ended in a triangular shaped nodule. He was young and handsome, his indigo hair and shiny yellow eyes rough, yet they held a playful spark to them, as if he wasn't as serious as he looked. Almika's mind wandered, as she drew, wondering who this guy was. She never drew people that way unless she knew them, and she certainly didn't know him. A tap on her shoulder broke her aimless thoughts.  
  
"What ya drawin' sugah?" Rogue asked, her eyes looking over the drawing.  
  
"I really don't know. I just started drawing yesterday, and this is what came of it." Almika shrugged.  
  
Rogue looked over the drawing, "Ah'm sure ah know who tha' is..." she paused, "Wha', that's Kurt." Rogue smiled, "How'd ya get it so perfec'?"  
  
"I don't know... I've never seen him before in my life." Almika sighed.  
  
"Miss... could you help me with something?" one of the other students in her class called.  
  
Rogue smiled gently to Almika and walked off. That afternoon, Almika wandered the mansion aimlessly, trying to find something to do, when she bumped into Cyclops, also wandering.  
  
"Hi Scott." Almika sighed.  
  
"Almika, just the lady I was hoping to find... want to talk about scheduling your replacement lessons in the Danger Room." Cyclops smiled.  
  
"Well, if you're always wandering around at this time, we could have one now?" Almika asked, her eyes still slightly saddened.  
  
"Yeah, ok... let's go." Cyclops said, turning towards the Danger Room.  
  
As Almika put all her sadness in a ball and threw it at the monsters, Cyclops watched carefully, making sure that she was able to handle the level of monsters coming her way. She came out of the Danger Room about 2 hours later, a thick layer of sweat covering her body.  
"What's wrong Almika, you're not as fast as usual..." Cyclops asked, a concerned look upon his face.  
  
"I've got worries on the brain..." Almika sighed.  
  
"What sort of worries?" Cyclops asked.  
  
"Short, hairy, bad attitude worries." Almika said.  
  
"Ah, Logan..." Cyclops nodded.  
  
Almika nodded, her heart felt as if it were in her stomach, a million pieces of it lying on the bottom of it, not red, like a normal heart, black, as if it were dead.  
  
"He'll come back, he always does..." Cyclops assured her.  
  
"The longer he's away the more it'll hurt." Almika said.  
  
"The pain will fade with time, trust me... since Jean died, I think about her a lot, but I've realised that I have to get over it, I can't let it all get to me." Cyclops sighed.  
  
"Does it still feel as though she's right there next to you, watching your every move, smiling at you?" Almika asked, sniffing around a little. Cyclops nodded, a sad smile appearing on his face. Almika replied the smile and said, "I'd better have a shower before dinner, or you'll all lose your appetites..." She wandered off, her thoughts still of Logan, as they always were... his smile, and his eyes, those eyes held so much information, so much that Almika would love to know, but probably never would.  
  
After Almika's shower, she dressed in tight black pants, her boots and a slim t-shirt, pulling a black sweater around her waist. She sat on her bed, putting the finishing touches to her drawing, a darker background, the moon and her signature. Satisfied with the picture, Almika took it to her desk and took out a small piece of blue-tack, sticking it up above the desk next to her picture of Logan, which she had drawn in her first few days at the mansion. She stood there for a few minutes, just looking at the drawings, she only had the two of them there, but even so, they looked as though they were photos of the real thing, or at least Logan's did, she didn't know about the other one.  
  
Looking to her watch, she saw it was almost dinnertime, so she wandered out and down to the dining room, sitting in her usual spot at the far end of the table. The only people not there already were Storm and Xavier, who came in shortly after she had sat down. Toad sat opposite her with Alena to his left and Cyclops to his right, they talked all throughout dinner, Xavier, Rogue and Storm occasionally joining in.   
  
"You're awful quiet tonight Almika, something bothering you?" Storm asked as Almika glanced to her.  
  
Almika shook her head, her mouth full of peas and went on continuing to eat. When dinner was finished and the others had all gone to continue what they were doing before they had come together in the dining room. Since there wasn't anything better that Almika could think of doing, she walked outside and down to the grass, lying down as she looked up to the stars. They sparkled brightly tonight, each define in colour, yet none define in shape. In her mind, she pointed out star clusters she knew, Orion's belt, Scorpio, and a planet or two that shone brighter than any star in the sky that night. After awhile, it started to get quite chilly, so Almika stood, about to go to bed, walking towards the mansion again. A hand tapped her shoulder suddenly, causing her to jump, she thought she was the only one outside that night.   
  
Almika turned towards the figure, almost unable to see it, as it was so dark. The eyes shone brightly, like the stars above them. As she looked down upon the person, she glanced unconsciously to the hands, *Three fingers on each hand...* she thought suddenly and before she knew what she was doing, she turned and ran, afraid of what was happening...  



	10. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I own Almika, Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime and any other character written into this story is Marvels... damn they make good characters!!!   
  
Chapter 9 - Creatures of the Night  
  
At 6am the next morning when her alarm went off, Almika sat cuddled up in her doona, she hadn't slept all night. The drawing sat up the other end of her bed, facing her. Images of her meeting with the person still flashed through her mind. She feared leaving the confines of her bed, as if the small amount of safety she felt there would disappear. Although she had been up all night, she wasn't tired, just scared. Her alarm rang for 5 minutes, pointless considering her deafness, before Alena wandered in, wondering why it was even turned on.  
  
As Alena crouched upon Almika's bed, Almika gasped, shocked by the appearance of another person. Alena was still dressed in her silk bed-slip.  
  
"You left your alarm running." Alena smiled, leaning over to turn it off.  
  
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't notice it was even on." Almika apologised.  
  
"Looks like you've been up all night, didn't sleep well?" Alena asked.  
  
"Didn't sleep. Strange happenings last night. I must've been seeing things." Almika said.  
  
"What was it?" Alena asked.  
  
"That drawing." Almika said, pointing to it as it sat before Alena's feet.  
  
"What about it? Hey, he's not bad looking, but Toad's better." Alena smiled warmly.  
  
"I... I... nah, you'll think I'm crazy... " Almika said, trembling.  
  
"No I won't, what's gotten ya all scared Almika?" Alena asked worried.  
  
"I... I saw that guy last night, on the school grounds. He came up to me, as I was walking inside, I ran. I've been here since, hoping he hasn't followed me, or isn't waiting for me to come back out of my room." Almika said, her eyes quickly shifting left to right.  
  
"Hey, you'll be fine. Got any classes today?" Alena asked.  
  
"Nah, but I do want to waste some more time in the Danger Room. I may be able to sleep tonight if I wear myself out." Almika sighed, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"No one can harm you while you're here with us all around you." Alena smiled, "You'd better go shower, the others will start wondering where we are soon."  
  
Almika forced a smile as she slipped from under the doona, picking up her drawing on the way and standing beside her bed as she said, "I'll be down in 1/2hr or so."  
  
"Alright. I'll probably be in the rec room... "Alena replied, walking out and closing the door behind her.  
  
Almika placed the drawing atop her desk, glancing to it one last time before sighing softly and opening her cupboard. She flicked through the many skirts and dresses once before moving to a dark purple, velvet and silk dress, on she hadn't worn in a long time. As she pulled it out and hung it on her bed, she looked around mindlessly before making her bed and going for a shower.  
  
Almika was amazed how well the dress still fit her. The 'off-the-shoulder' sleeves ran tight down her arms, forming triangles on the back of her hands, joined to black elastic which slipped around each middle finger on her hands. Around the top of the dress, which went from just below her shoulders, across her chest and back at the same height, was sewn a small line of lace, folded down upon the dress. The waist of the dress hugged her frame tightly, showing off her hips and pushing up her breasts, almost like a corset. From the waist where her hips sat, to the ground where the hem gently brushed, was simple and flowing, allowing her to move swiftly and gracefully. As Almika stared at the dress in her mirror and smiled, it made her feel better. Upon her feet she slipped a pair of ballet slippers as she hustled herself out the door and flicked her hair, untied of course, behind her.  
  
Her hands gently lifted the front of her dress a little as she entered the kitchen. Rogue, Gambit, Toad and Alena ran around, getting various food items.  
  
"What's all the running for guys?" Almika asked, confused.  
  
"Rogue and Gambit have classes to teach and Alena and I have things that Xavier's asked us to do." Toad smiled to her.  
  
Almika nodded to him, grabbing an apple from the fridge and wandering out. She decided, since everyone else was busy, and she had nothing to do, she'd ask Xavier if he had anything for her to do. She swallowed the piece of apple she'd been chewing for the last 3 minutes and walked in, not watching the going ons.  
  
"Xavier, is there... "Almika started, her eyes finally seeing the whole picture.  
  
"Hello Almika. This' Kurt, he tells me that you two met last night on his way in." Xavier smiled, introducing the man standing nearby him with those blazing yellow eyes fixed on her.  
  
"Um, well... ah... sort of." Almika said, suddenly going pale.  
  
"Sorry I scared you last night." Kurt smiled softly.  
  
"It, it's not that... " Almika said, "This is why you scared me..." Almika put two fingers to her right temple and projected the image of her drawing.  
  
"Wow! That's a good picture!" Kurt exclaimed.  
  
"I drew that in the last few days, before I'd even met or heard of you." Almika explained, "When I saw you, it scared me." She slowly turned to her natural colour again.  
  
"That's understandable." Xavier smiled softly, "How long are you here for Almika?"  
  
"Actually, I came to see if there was anything fro me to do, since everyone else is busy and I have no classes today." Almika smiled.  
  
"Oh... well Toad and Alena have the list of things that need doing, you could help them with that, or maybe you could take Kurt out to town for the day, it's been awhile since you left the confines of the school." Xavier suggested.  
  
"Mmm... "Almika thought, "It'd be nice to get out of here..."  
  
The door behind her flung open suddenly, Cyclops running in as he said, "Charles, we have 5 sentinels and 3 other mutants coming straight for the school."  
  
"Sound the safety bells, tell the students to go to the Gym and stay there, get the other X-men outside to defend the school, now." Xavier said calmly. Cyclops ran off again, his thoughts a little saner. "Did you get any of that child?" Xavier asked Almika.  
  
"Yeah, I heard his mind the second he ran in. Suppose I'd better be off to the Gym now, huh?" Almika smiled.  
  
"No Almika, I want you to fight with us, if you are willing?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Sure, don't see why not." Almika shrugged, "Hey Kurt, you coming?"  
  
Kurt nodded, walking to the door.  
"I'll race ya outside!" Almika cried, running off through the sea of people who had started going to the Gym. As she exited the building, she looked behind her to see Kurt climbing along the walls closely followed by Toad and Alena, "I win!!" she cried happily.  
  
As Almika turned around, she saw what she feared most, 2 of the sentinels made their way across the front of the school, headed straight for her, the other 3 came behind, although there was no sign of the three mutants.  
  
"Alena, you and I have one, Toad and Kurt, take the other!" Almika cried, levitating herself before she started to fly towards the one on her right, her palms black as she fired ball after ball of electricity at the sentinel. It wasn't easy, she had to keep moving so she wasn't hit with it's blast, but she managed, watching as Alena scrambled up to the back of the sentinels neck, dodging and weaving the sentinels hands which tried to grasp her at every turn.  
  
Toad followed Alena in scrambling up the other sentinel and spitting acid to melt away it's outer shell while Kurt teleported himself to its shoulder and reached in where Toad had spat.  
  
In the meantime, Storm, Gambit, Rogue and Cyclops had started to defend the school against the other three sentinels. Without the other students help, it took a little longer for Alena and Almika to fell the sentinel, but when they did, they instantly lunged for the next one, pulling each down one by one. They brought down all the sentinels before anyone even thought of looking for the other mutants that had come up on the security system.  
  
"Where are they?" Kurt asked, looking around confused.  
  
"I don't know, I can't see them..." Almika said.  
  
From a point by the school fence, came three figures, two on the ground and one that seemed to be flying in a bubble of some sort...  
  
  
‡ Who are these other mutants... and why do they want to attack the school??? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out!!!  



	11. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 10 - Showdown time!!!  
  
There they stood, in front of the main school building, a group of mutants, adrenaline ran freely through their veins like blood and their stance was one of anger. The three mutants who had come from beyond the fence still moved quickly towards them.  
  
*Child, move back to behind us... * Xavier told Almika.  
  
Doing as she was told, Almika moved backwards, closer to the doors, incase she needed to run.  
  
"What the..." Kurt whispered.  
  
As the floating mutant lowered himself to the ground, Almika saw his blue-grey eyes look straight at her; she stared back, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Charles, it seems you have a new addition to the X-men..." the man said, his eyes still looking over Almika.  
  
"Magneto, why have you come here?" Xavier asked, not wasting any time.  
  
"I was thinking the other day, about how long it had been since we had seen each other, talked, and I thought that it would be a good idea to drop in, pay you a visit." Magneto smiled.  
  
"Then wha' the machines Magneto? And ya henchmen?" Rogue asked, her eyes dark with anger.  
  
"Protection my dear Rogue, don't forget, I know what would happen if I came alone." Magneto smiled to her.  
  
"We don' have da time for dis Magneto, what do ya want?" Gambit asked.  
  
"Well, I was hoping to catch your youngest member off-guard and without you, but it seems I was foolish in bringing the sentinels... " Magneto explained.  
  
"You'll have to go through me first." Kurt said, irritated.  
  
"That's easy enough... " Magneto smiled, "Sabertooth, deal with our elfish opposer."  
  
Sabertooth grunted a reply and headed for Kurt, who stood his feet firmly planted. Before Sabertooth could reach him, a charged card hit him in the side of the head, thanks to Gambit's quick thinking.  
  
*Almika, go inside. * Xavier said to her mind.  
  
*No, if Magneto wants me, he has to fight for me... and by going inside I endanger everyone else here at the school.* Almika argued.  
  
Xavier sighed, knowing it was hopeless to argue with her, since she was so strong willed in her own capabilities.   
  
"Why do ya want her?" Rogue asked.  
  
"She has something I want, it is not essentially her that I want. I had her in my grasp until you and Xavier stepped in and took her away." Magneto said.  
  
"What do you mean took me away? I've never been near you in my life!" Almika cried.  
  
Mystique, who was standing to one side, started to change her shape, her yellow eyes becoming a duller yellow and her red-orange hair becoming more fiery, until she looked exactly like Almika's sister, Oriola.  
  
"You'd be amazed how close we were to getting what we want..." Mystique said in Oriola's voice.  
  
"What about my... Faith?" Almika asked, her face going pale and her hands starting to shake violently.  
  
"Almika, your family has been dead for at least 15 years now, all of them, except your father, not even I know where or who he is. He is your only saviour now, if he ever shows his face again." Magneto said, as Mystique changed back.  
  
"No, no... it's a lie!!" Almika screamed at him, her hand making a subtle movement, sending Magneto flying backwards further than usual.  
  
Kurt turned shocked to look at Almika, her frame shaking violently as she lifted herself from the ground and turned pale, ghost like. Her wrists came together as she started to throw balls of lightning at the three of them, causing the balls to grow, two becoming one. As they come faster, more balls became one until she had 10 in one ball, her expression one of fear and disgust.  
  
Suddenly Almika dropped, the ball firing itself from her hands in a random direction. She landed heavily upon the ground, not moving, barely breathing. As Alena and Kurt ran to help her, Sabertooth backed off from the group, returning to his place beside Magneto, who had returned, a little shaken by the outburst.  
  
"She's quite a powerful young lady Charles, don't underestimate her." Magneto smiled to him as they turned and left, knowing that Almika's life would now be ruined forever.  
  
Kurt picked her up gently, looking to the others, his eyes angry, yet they confined a soft, concerned glimmer in them, "I'll take her to her room... " He said, instantly leaving.  
  
In her room, Almika lay on the bed, where Kurt had put her two days before. She hadn't moved, made a sound or woken yet. Kurt sat by her bed with Toad and Alena, watching her breathe. It looked as though she was breathing easier.  
  
"So, does anyone know who her father is?" Alena asked.  
  
"I don't think so. Xavier might know, but he's not about to tell." Toad replied.  
  
They looked to Kurt, who sat sullenly by her bed, watching her closely.  
  
"Nightcrawler, what's with the drab look?" Alena asked.  
  
"I, I can't imagine how hard it would be for her now... she just found out her family has been dead for a decade and a half, she's never known who her father is..." He trailed off, not looking to them.  
  
The door to her room had been left open, except at night when Kurt closed it.  
  
"How is Almika going?" Xavier asked, wheeling through the door.  
  
"No a sound... do you know what she's doing in her mind?" Toad asked him.  
  
"She's thinking about lots of things, almost like dreaming, only she's not asleep. Almika's body is resting, restoring her energy. She used all she had and more against Magneto, but she is slowly coming to terms with the fact her father is her only living family. Logan is another who features prominently in her thoughts, she really does miss him, like he is almost a part of her." Xavier said.  
  
"Do you know who her father is?" Alena asked, "I'm sure she's asked you, but it doesn't mean you told her..."  
  
"That's not something you need to know child. Almika has to find out for herself who her father is." Xavier said.  
  
"How long until she wakes up?" Kurt asked quietly.  
  
"I do not know, but it can't be much longer. When she wakes, she's going to be sore, a little dazed, maybe even upset. She's going to need someone to lean on, but she'll want Logan. He's the only one she feels especially close to for some reason." Xavier explained.  
  
Almika coughed, as though she had a phlegmy throat, rubbed her eyes and groaned, putting her hand around her pillow and holding it close. Her left eye opened slightly, watching the others.  
  
"Al, you awake?" Alena asked her.  
  
"No..." came her reply as she shut her eye again, turning over.  
  
"C'mon Almika, you've been asleep for 2 days already..." Toad urged.  
  
"Kurt, don't you ever think that again..." came a mumbled sentence.  
  
Kurt looked around shocked, "What? I didn't think anything like that!" His lips turned upwards in a silent, mischievous smile.  
  
"Someone get my black dress? The one with dark blue ribbon on the bodice?" Almika muttered.  
  
Alena stood, moving swiftly to the cupboard and pulling out the dress. Almika was sitting up in bed by the time she hung it on the end of her bed.  
  
"Xavier... I'm going to have to commandeer your wheelchair." Almika smiled forcibly.  
  
Xavier smiled gently to her, "I think I'll be going now... I need my wheelchair, more than you..." He wheeled out, Toad and Alena following him slowly.  
  
"Kurt, before you leave, tell me one thing?" Almika asked, starting to stand with his help.  
  
"What would you like to know?" Kurt asked.  
  
"How long have I been here and you didn't stay with me the whole time did you?" Almika asked, looking quizzically to him.  
"You've been here for 2 days and no, Toad, Alena and I took day-time shifts in watching you, incase you woke, at night you were alone." Kurt replied, smiling to her.  
  
Almika smiled to him and picked up the dress from her bed, "I really gotta go have this shower..."  
  
"Sure, I'll see you downstairs soon?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Kitchen, gimmie about 20 minutes... I'm starving!" Almika laughed, throwing her pillow at him, "Now get out..."  
  
Kurt just smiled and shrugged, walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.  
  
Almika made her way slowly down the stairs not long afterwards, her nose slightly scrunched, the pain in her arms becoming monotonous. She walked straight to the kitchen, opening the fridge straight away, she leaned in a brought out salad and bread, fruit and juice. As she made two sandwiches and a drink, Kurt wandered in, his eyes bulging at the amount of food she planned to eat.  
  
"Oh, hi." Almika smiled, noticing him sitting behind her.  
  
"Got enough food there?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Nope..." Almika laughed.  
  
"I don't know how someone your size can eat so much..." Kurt smiled.  
  
"Practise... and it all goes to my hips anyway..." Almika smiled, sitting opposite him, and diving into her first sandwich.  
  
*Almika, can you come to my office straight away?* Xavier called to her.  
  
"Oh damn..." Almika said, setting her sandwich aside and standing.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kurt asked confused.  
  
"Xavier wants me... this'll have to wait..." Almika said, putting the sandwiches in the fridge, sculling her drink and taking a peach with her as she ran out.  
  
As Almika ran down the hallway, she wondered what was so important. Why would Xavier call her like that? He'd never done it before. Maybe he had something that Almika needed...  



	12. Default Chapter Title

8 Disclaimer: Almika is my character, Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime, ask her for permission to use Alena, email me to ask for permission to use Almika or any other original character that appears in my stories (excluding Alena), all other characters belong to Marvel, but don't we all wish we owned em??  
  
8 Note: this is what Logan is doing at the time... its just a filler, so that you don't think I've forgotten him... but this will give you some idea of what he's doing while he's gone.  
  
Chapter 11 - Logan's Journey  
  
The dark alley was one of the safest places in the city that night. Logan wandered along it, no real thoughts appearing in his mind as he splashed through the puddles and sniffed carefully, hoping that no one was around. He wasn't in the mood for a fight, which is very strange at the best of times, but still, something seemed wrong to him. He turned out of the alley, the flickering streetlight flashing in his face as he did, and then into the nearest bar, a small building, with not many patrons.  
  
"Beam thanks." Logan said, sitting by the bar, his eye watching carefully the rest of the bar.  
  
It wasn't empty that night, but it wasn't full either. A few groups of men wandered around playing pool and smoking, talking as they played, sitting at the tables were chattering women.   
  
The bartender, an older man, plonked Logan's drink down before him, not spilling a drop and smiled saying, "Tough night tonight, eh?"  
  
"I've seen worse..." Logan replied, not looking to the bartender.  
  
Over by one of the tables, one of the men raised his voice saying, "Give us the money ya owe us!!"  
  
Logan's eyes shot over towards him... maybe he was in the mood for a fight after all. Logan let his eyes fall to his hands, the adamantium under his skin unseen. There was a small scar, on his left hand, near the webbing of his thumb. It was the only scar left from the meeting with Sabertooth.   
  
His thoughts instantly wandered to that young woman who had clung to him, would she want him to fight? Probably not... He wondered how she was, what was going on back at the mansion... He couldn't go back, there were so many reasons not to. By the time Logan looked up again, a fight had broken out in the bar, men throwing chairs and hitting each other with pool cues. Everyone else ran screaming outside into the street and beyond. The two men left, punched and kicked each other, objects flying around them.  
  
Logan walked up to them, standing almost close enough to be hit and picked both of them up off the ground, their feet flailing around wildly.  
  
"Excuse me men, but I think our friend the bartender doesn't want all his things broken." Logan said, walking towards the door and throwing them out, before he went back to the bar and sat down, sipping his drink slowly not looking to the bartender, who stood nearby with a shocked expression, mouth agape.  
"Th-thanks..." the bartender said, pouring himself a stiff scotch and Logan another drink, "Here, this one's on the house, or whatever's left of it..."   
  
Logan grunted a reply, downing the rest of his two drinks and left silently, without a thankyou.  
  
Walking the streets at night was nothing new for him, and there was no reason for him to fear it either, he had his claws to protect him. It was unusually noisy that night, there seemed to be crowds all over the place, not rowdy but then not silent. Seeing a familiar place, Logan walked into the old warehouse. Inside was a cage, like a boxing-ring with steel barriers and lots of seating. It had started to fill up by the time Logan walked in, sitting up the back of the warehouse to watch.  
  
Soon the fights started, the first was a short fight, the smaller guy being knocked out in a few minutes, but then, a large man come out, dressed in normal, everyday clothes.   
  
"We have a fighter out back without someone to fight against... anyone willing to go against him?" the man called.  
  
A few men stood, walking towards the cage.  
  
*Sorry kiddo, I gotta do this.* Logan thought, joining the group of men by the cage.  
  
"You, the short hairy one..." the man said, pointing to Logan as the cage door opened, letting him in.  
  
Logan walked in, looking around to the crowd. It reminded him of the old days, before he joined the X-men, when he fought to survive. The other fighter came from the opposite side of the cage, an enraged look in his eyes as he threw off the black cape that covered him. His arms were as big as Logan's legs, and he stood at least 2 foot taller than Logan. Veins rippled up his arms and legs like purple ribbons under his pale skin, his scar covered barrel chest well muscled, rivalling some bodybuilders. He grunted at Logan, most likely in a hello, Logan ignored him, bracing himself for what came next. Logan knew what came next, a bell, then fighting. As the bell rang, he let the fighter come to him, starting out punching. Logan retaliated with his own fists, not willing to let his real identity to be known. Ducking and weaving, the taller man's lunges fell over him, missing by far. It wasn't long before the fighter was on the ground, breathing heavily as sweat and blood dripped from his mouth.  
  
That was it, Logan let his entire rage and anger ball for no longer. When the man stood, wobbly as it was, Logan came in punching wildly, throwing him to the ground again. Logan had managed to cop a few punches, mostly in his chest and stomach, one side of his mouth was covered in blood. It was all over, the fighter didn't get up in time and Logan had won.  
  
After the fight, Logan was 'checked-out' by the resident doctor and walked straight to the fighter's bar for another drink.  
  
"Nice fighten man, where'd ya learn that?" the man behind the bar asked.  
  
"I've been around, give us a double scotch, on the rocks." Logan replied, sitting down.  
  
"You don't look like the normal sort that comes in here... got a job?" the man asked.  
  
"What's it to you?" Logan spat.  
  
"Well, there's a place going if ya want it..." the man replied, not seeming concerned by Logan's angry reply.  
  
Logan thought for a moment, * I know she wouldn't want me to, but every man's gotta earn a living... sorry kiddo, I'll repay ya for it one day.*  
  
"What's the pay like?" Logan asked, taking a sip of his drink.  
  
"It's reasonable, probably better than you'll get anywhere else." The man replied.  
  
"Sure, I'll take the job... nothing better to do." Logan shrugged.  
  
"Go down to the other side of the cage... there's a walkway going down... the door saying 'Managers' is the one you want." The man said.  
  
Logan sculled what was left of his drink, slamming the glass to the bar and stood, walking off, to meet his old destiny... that was quickly becoming is new destiny...  



	13. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 12 - Xavier's wish  
  
Almika reached Xavier's office quickly, bursting in and running to his desk. She puffed a little as her heartbeat slowed.  
  
"What's so important Xavier?" Almika asked.  
  
"I want to talk to you about what you did the other day, when Magneto came into the school." Xavier said calmly.  
  
"You mean I ran all the way here for that?!" Almika smiled, rolling her eyes.  
  
"It's important child. I don't understand how you used your own energy levels and someone else's. I'm not even sure whose you used." Xavier said.  
  
"That's not important Professor... it's not how I did it, it's why I did it, and the fact of the matter is, it saved my life." Almika shrugged.  
  
"Saved your life?! You were almost dead!" Xavier exclaimed.  
  
"I would be dead if Magneto got me." Almika smiled, knowing she would win this round.  
  
"Mmm, ok." Xavier sighed, "But I'd still like to know how you did it and whose energy you used."  
  
"I don't know how I did it, I just remember feeling angry and drawing energy from another mutant, a very strong one." Almika said, "I can't tell who I'm drawing power from, I just know I'm doing it."  
  
"We'll have to work on that... find out if there is a certain way you decide whom to take the energy from, and if any of it is restored in other forms after you've woken." Xavier smiled, "One last thing that surprised me... "  
  
"My thoughts about Logan?" Almika butted in.  
  
"Exactly... " Xavier said.  
  
"That's my business Xavier, you know that... " Almika sighed, standing and turning to return to the kitchen where she hoped Kurt was still waiting for her.  
  
*Child, don't let him cloud your thoughts... * Xavier said to her mind.  
  
*I won't. * Almika replied, sighing softly.   
She knew that Xavier cared about her, like a parent would, maybe because she didn't have any family left, but he'd always cared for her like that. Maybe he was that way with everyone, she just never saw it. It was strange though, that he'd let her fight with the X-men so soon after her arrival, and Logan and her friend's departures. Sure, she'd known him all her life, from her first memory of her thoughts to the first time she'd accidentally blown up the shed out the back of her house at the age of 7. What was it that Magneto wanted from her? She didn't have anything particularly expensive, or useful. And who was Oriola's baby now that she knew Oriola wasn't who she thought?  
  
Almika brushed aside all her depressing thoughts, sweeping into the kitchen to find Kurt still sitting there, staring into space, "Earth to Kurt, Earth to Kurt, come in Kurt, can you read us?" Almika laughed, waving her hand slowly before his eyes.  
  
"Oh! Zorry... I kinda vandered off zere." Kurt smiled.  
  
"That's ok, I only just got back from seeing Xavier..." Almika smiled.  
  
"Vhat vas zo importan' zat it could not vait until later?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Xavier being his curious self... he wanted to know about the power I used the other day. To tell the truth though, I don't want to tell him all of it." Almika sighed, taking out her sandwich again.  
  
"You lied to 'im?" Kurt asked, surprised.  
  
"No! I couldn't do that! I just didn't tell him everything..." Almika grinned.  
  
"Ahh, zee old I'll only tell vhat I vant you to know?" Kurt said, his expression becoming mischievous and devilish.  
  
Almika nodded, a wide grin coming across her face as she ate. The two of them sat practically in silence as Almika ate, the only sounds being Almika chewing and Kurt humming a small, miscellaneous tune. When Almika had finished, she looked to Kurt and said, "Wanna go out on the town tonight?" her eyebrow slightly raised.  
  
"Vill Xavier let you? After all, 'e zeems to 'ave a fondness for you zat I 'ave never zeen before." Kurt asked.  
  
"Oh, he'll let me... I'll just use my female charm... "Almika smiled cutely and stood, cleaning up her mess before they left the kitchen.  
  
"Vell, zince it iz early evening, I zay we start going zoon, othervise vee vill mizz zee nightlife..." Kurt smiled.  
  
Almika nodded, "I'm going as I am, no use in changing... "  
  
Kurt shrugged, "You look beautiful no matter vhat you vear Almika, but ve had better go tell Charlez... "  
  
They wandered off to Xavier's office, knocking on the door before they entered.  
  
"Ah, Almika, Kurt, what can I do for you?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Vee came in too tell you zat vee are going out tonight, and vee are leaving zoon... zat vay you are not worried about vere vee are." Kurt smiled convincingly.  
  
"Oh, alright. Have fun, but don't get into mischief and no waking everyone up when you get back..." Xavier smiled, "It's about time you lightened up Almika, maybe Kurt is a good influence on you..."  
  
Almika looked curiously at him, unsure what he meant by it, but shrugged it off, happy to be getting out of the school for a night...  



	14. Default Chapter Title

  
*Disclaimer: Almika and Reuben belong to me! Ask if ya wanna use 'em. Any other's belong to Marvel... great characters too....  
  
Chapter 13 - A night on the town  
  
Kurt and Almika, having left the school grounds approximately an hour ago, arrived at the city centre, lights buzzing, people everywhere. It was safer to be in the crowds then to come out when no one was around. Most of the bars and clubs were open and raging by the time they arrived in town, but still a lot of people were on the streets, talking and meeting up with their friends.  
  
Almika looked to Kurt and asked, "Anywhere in particular ya wanna go?"  
  
"Not really, let's jus' pick a bar an' go in... maybe vee vill find a nice place along zee vay?" Kurt shrugged, smiling to her.  
  
It had been a long time since Almika had gone out for drinks with her friends, but it brought back memories of fun times and waking up the next morning with huge hangovers.  
  
They walked across the road to what looked like a small bar. There were a lot of people inside, almost too many, but they entered it anyway, taking seats at a small table to the left of the bar.  
  
"First round is on me, vhat vould you like to drink mein fruend?" Kurt asked, standing from his seat.  
  
"Vodka Sunrise thanks Kurt." Almika smiled to him, her hands fumbling in her lap nervously.  
  
Kurt just nodded slowly, walking to the bar. Almika looked around, there seemed to only be humans here, but then, who could tell whom mutants were these days, everyone seemed the same. A few thoughts floated her way, mostly things like, *Damn she's good looking... * and *I wonder who her friend is?*. Almika ignored the thoughts, trying to have a good time out of the prying eyes, where she could blend in with the 'normal' people. Her eyes drifted to Kurt, who lent on the bar, waiting for the drinks he had ordered. He wore normal clothes, a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt under a denim-coloured shirt. His hair was still indigo and his eyes still yellow, but no one seemed to notice them. Almika smiled softly to him as he brought the drinks over, sitting opposite her as he sipped his drink.  
  
"Ya know, tonight was a good night to come out... I think if I'd stayed there much longer I would have gone mad." Almika smiled.  
  
"I know vhat you mean, the school can start to make your blood boil after avhile. I'm just 'appy zat someone else likes to go out at night too, uzervise I vould be 'ere alon' and zat's not very exciting at zee best of times." Kurt agreed.  
Almika looked to her drink, the red and pinks mixed with yellows, making it look very tempting. A small black straw sat in her drink, leaning to one side of the glass. Almika played mindlessly with the straw, occasionally taking a sip from it as she and Kurt spoke about their pasts.  
  
"And zat is 'ow I got to be 'ere." Kurt smiled.  
  
"Mystique is your mother? But you can't be much older than me, and I mean, if she's been pretending to be Oriola since I was about 5, then she's been a very busy lady." Almika said.  
  
"I'm tventy-one, you?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Nineteen, I turn twenty next week, although I don't think anyone knows that, except maybe Charles." Almika sighed.  
  
"So zere is not much of an age difference betveen uz... " Kurt smiled, "Vee seem to 'ave a bit in common too... zat iz strange, I 'ave never met another person vith a similar background, although, you did not know 'bout yours until zee uver day."  
  
Almika sculled what was left of the drink before her and stood, "Wanna keep moving?" she asked Kurt.  
  
"Sure, I don't see vhy not. Zere is zo much to drink an' zo little time." Kurt smiled rebelliously.  
  
Almika squeezed through the crowds, one of her hands being pulled backwards by the people around her. Suddenly someone grabbed her hand, but she thought maybe it was Kurt, just trying not to lose her in the mob. When she got out of the bar and onto the lined street, she looked behind her and smiled, it was Kurt, but there was someone behind him, someone familiar, someone she knew too well.  
  
"Kurt, let's go, now." Almika said to him, worried that the person saw her.  
  
"Vhat's wrong? Did you see somesing?" Kurt asked her.  
  
"I think I saw someone I know... if they see me, we're gona have to run." Almika said, moving away quickly.  
  
"Did zay see you?" Kurt asked, following her hurriedly.  
  
"I don't know. I hope not, we'll know soon enough though." Almika said, looking up to him.  
  
At the end of the block were traffic lights, and they had to wait for the lights to change before crossing the road. Almika's eyes started to dart around, as if she knew something was wrong.  
  
"Kurt, we have to find somewhere crowded, now... " Almika urged, taking his hand as she wasn't watching him.  
  
Kurt took her to another small yet crowded bar, it was a little bigger than the last, yet this time, there weren't as many people, it was still very crowded though. Sitting her down near the bar, Kurt looked to her worried and asked, "Vhat 'as you all scared mein fruend? Iz zere somevon zat iz following uz?"  
  
"A... A friend of mine that came to the school with me, I think I saw him, he was supposed to have gone back home a few weeks ago, and as far as I know, he was staying there." Almika said.  
  
"Vhat is zo bad viz zat? Another perzon for our group?" Kurt asked, a little confused.  
  
"He knew about the lie that your mother told me while she was pretending to be my sister. ALL about it. I don't want him to see me, incase he's working with her." Almika said, digging some notes out of her bag, "Here, my round, get yourself whatever you want, I'll have a double scotch on the rocks... actually, make it two."  
  
"Are you sure? Two of zem?" Kurt looked to her.  
  
"Nah, better keep it at one..." Almika sighed.  
  
Kurt looked tenderly to her, and headed to the bar. This place wasn't much different from the last, and hopefully they hadn't been followed, if they had, Almika was in big trouble. She'd calmed down about 3 drinks later, and was back to her normal self, although the thoughts still hung in her head.  
  
"Vhat now?" Kurt asked.  
  
"We stay here? I like it here; there are less people now, so there's moving room." Almika suggested.  
  
"Alright, but a few more drinks an' I'll 'ave to go for a vonder in zee park... jus' to valk ov some of zis alcohol." Kurt smiled, it was obvious there were other things on his mind, although for some reason Almika trusted him. It wasn't the drink that trusted him either, Almika truly trusted him, only the second person in her life she ever had, and he had to be an elfish mutant.  
  
Almika nodded, smiling happily as she finished her drink.  
  
"Almika, do you still sink about Logan?" Kurt asked suddenly, throwing her off guard.  
  
Almika just nodded, unsure of what to say.  
  
"'ow much?" he added, his expression becoming one of curiosity.  
  
"Depends on how I feel. If I'm really depressed I think about him a lot, if I'm busy I don't get much of a chance to think about him..." Almika replied.  
  
"Is zere anyvon else you 'ave thoze sorts of feelings for? Maybe even close to?" Kurt asked.  
  
"That would be opening a bag of trouble Kurt, you don't want to do that." Almika said.  
  
"Oh, and vhy vouldn't I vant to?" Kurt asked, his eyebrows slightly raised.  
  
"Every man I have ever given my heart has either run away, died or been in league with the baddies." Almika sighed.  
  
"And you're afraid iv you tell me zat I vould tell and zee next one might run too?" Kurt asked.  
  
"No, I'm, oh, just forget it Kurt... you're a really great friend, I don't want anything to wreck that." Almika shook her head.  
  
"C'mon, let uz go for a valk, it vill clear both our minds." Kurt said, standing and offering his arm to her, very gentlemanly.  
  
Almika smiled, taking his arm as she stood and they walked out. The park was only a block away, so they walked slowly arm in arm along the footpath. The crowds started to thin out as they came to the park, which made it easier for them to talk.  
  
"I always loved walking in parks, they're very quiet sorts of places." Almika smiled.  
  
Kurt looked around as they sat on a bench to one side of the park, watching the night sky that peeked through the treetops.  
  
"Zay are alvays very quiet places. Zat is vhy you like zem. It gives you time to sink, about all sorts of sings." Kurt added, a smile wide upon his face.  
  
"Almika, or is it Al still? It has been a few weeks since I last saw you... who's the new man?" a male voice asked, coming out from behind the trees.  
  
"Reuben..." Almika gasped, sending a message to Kurt's mind, *That is the person I was talking about.*  
  
"Who is zis?" Kurt asked Almika.  
  
"Reuben, this is Kurt, Kurt, Reuben." Almika introduced them sourly, "This is one of my friends from back home."  
  
"Vhat do you mean, friend?" Kurt asked.  
  
"He left the mansion without saying goodbye, and he's a vampire." Almika replied, *Be careful of him Kurt, he's not someone to be toyed with.*  
  
"Ah, hello Reuben." Kurt smiled to him.  
  
"Kurt... you seem somehow... familiar... " Reuben smiled a fangy grin.  
  
"You 'ave met mein mother, Mystique, maybe zat is vhy?" Kurt suggested.  
  
"Ah yes, that would be it. Such a lovely lady your mother, that is why I am here too. Mystique and Magneto have sent me to bring back Al, hopefully without a fight?" Reuben smiled, standing about 5 metres from them.  
  
"Over my dead body Reuben... I'm not going with you... " Almika snarled.  
  
"I'll second zat, Magneto can find somevon else to play viz Reuben, and you can say zat from me." Kurt added.  
  
"I don't want to have to do this the hard way Al, just come with me... " Reuben said.  
  
"Tell Magneto from me that he can go shove his plans up his arse, cause I ain't going with ya." Almika spat, as a ball of energy left her hand, hitting him straight in the chest and pushing him to the ground, *Kurt, run... * Almika said to his mind.  
  
Instantly they were off, Almika running like crazy along side Kurt. It seemed like they ran for ages, headed towards the school, but when they reached it, something seemed very wrong.  
  
"I don't like the look of this Kurt... "Almika whispered as they walked towards the gates to the school, which were still open.  
  
"Me neither mein fruend. Somezing iz very wrong 'ere." Kurt replied in a whisper.  
  
Atop the main building, Almika made out 2 figures, familiar ones, but she couldn't tell whom. Her mind sent out a search to find out, although she wasn't close enough to tell.  
  
*Xavier wake up... * Almika called to him.  
  
*What is wrong child?* came his reply.  
  
*Kurt and I are coming to the school gates now... Reuben came up to us tonight, he tried to take me for Magneto... we ran from him... there are two people on the roof of the main building and I can't get a fix on them... do you know who they are?* Almika asked.  
  
*Ah, one is Rogue, the other... I cannot tell, the signal is mixed... * Xavier replied.  
  
Almika turned to Nightcrawler, whispering, "Rogue is on the roof with someone... I'm going to fly up and have a look."  
  
Kurt nodded to her and took her hand in his, kissing it gently as he smiled to her, "Be careful Almika."  
  
Almika blushed slightly as she started to fly, slowly and silently coming towards the main building. As she got closer, she gasped, seeing something she thought she'd never have to watch....  
  
*Who is there with Rogue and what the hell is going on?!?!!?!?  



	15. Default Chapter Title

DISCLAIMER: Almika and Reuben are mine, email and ask me for permission to use them. Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime... yes I have permission to use her... everyone else belongs to Marvel, you know... the people who started the X-men... what legends!  
  
Chapter 14 - Stranger things have happened  
  
Almika looked down to where Kurt entered the grounds, watching as he crept like a mouse, quietly across the yard and up the wall of the school, not quite making it to the roof before he stopped. Upon the roof of the building stood Rogue, talking to another, whom they'd seen not that long ago... Reuben.  
  
"Rogue! Don't trust him! He's working for Magneto!" Almika called.  
  
"Wha' hello sugah... what ya doin' back so early?" Rogue asked her, coming up to fly near her.  
  
"He tried to get me to come back with him to Magneto." Almika said, pointing to Reuben.  
  
"Really? Ah'm sure he's not to be worried 'bout Al. He's harmless enough." Rogue smiled.  
  
*That's strange... Rogue isn't usually that confident of someone she doesn't know all that well... * Almika thought, *Xavier... Reuben has done something to Rogue... get the rest of the X-men up... now!*   
  
"Rogue, what's happened?" Almika asked, looking curiously to her as she smiled, almost twisted to Almika.  
  
"Nuthin' sugah, wha' should ya ask that?" Rogue said, still smiling at her.  
  
*Kurt, get ready to jump on Reuben, hold 'im down... * Almika thought. *Toad, get yourself and Alena onto the roof of the main building and try to hold Reuben where he is.*   
  
"Ya just not seeming like yourself, and I don't trust him..." Almika said, glancing to Reuben, who was watching them from the roof.  
  
At that moment, Toad and Alena burst out of the top window, spitting two gobs of sticky goo at him, pushing him over and gluing him to the roof. Storm, Cyclops and Gambit ran from the front entrance, Storm instantly flying up to join Almika and Rogue. Xavier came out after them, looking up to the three women who floated in mid-air above the school grounds.  
"Rogue, come to the ground with us." Storm pleaded.  
  
"No, Ah'm likin' it up 'ere... " Rogue said, starting to get on their nerves.  
  
*Don't let her get away Almika.* Xavier called to her.  
  
Almika couldn't think of what to do, and only one thing came to mind. She hid her hands behind her back, slowly starting to make a ball within the palm of her hands and with one quick movement, threw it at Rogue, smacking her in the abdomen. It threw Rogue off balance for a moment, but unfortunately it didn't do what it was supposed to. Not wanting to hurt her, Almika thought quickly, what could she do, so she flew down and landed on the roof of the building. Rogue, unknowingly followed her, and Storm followed Rogue, keeping a close eye on her.  
  
*Wanna stick Rogue to the roof for us?* Almika asked Toad silently.  
  
Toad stepped forward, Rogue having landed with her back to him, and spat at her, the impact knocking her forwards to the tiled roof. She struggled to move, spitting curses at them that Almika never thought she'd hear from Rogue's mouth. Almika leaned down, pulling the hair back from Rogue's neck and revealing two tiny bite marks, still red from the puncture and dried blood in spots nearby it.  
  
"She's been bitten Storm... is there anything we can do?" Almika asked, worried.  
  
Kurt hopped up onto the roof and looked at them all saying, "Iz it all over now?"  
  
"Rogue's been bit Kurt... " Almika said sadly, jumping from the roof and floating to the waiting people on the ground.  
  
"How is da girl?" Gambit asked, his facial expression one of worry.  
  
"I'm sorry Remy." Almika said, her eyes never looking to him. She looked to Xavier with a hopeful look, but he just shook his head, knowing her question. "She's gone... and it's all my fault..." Almika added, walking away.  
  
In Almika's room a little while later, she sat on her bed, a bottle in her hand. Kurt and Alena walked in, knowing it was no use knocking.  
  
"Al, you ok?" Alena asked, crouching on her bed.  
  
"I'm fine, now go away. It's my fault this happened." Almika said, taking another swill from the bottle in her hand.  
  
"No Al, I'm not leaving until you calm down." Alena said sternly.  
  
"Fine, I'm calm, now piss off." Almika lied.  
  
"Almika, please. 'ow iz it your fault?" Kurt asked.  
  
"If I hadn't come here, Magneto wouldn't have followed me, Reuben wouldn't have bitten Rogue, and I wouldn't have lost another friend... " Almika said, putting the cap on the bottle.  
  
"How were you to know that would happen Al?" Alena asked.  
  
"I should've known... " Almika said, pushing the bottle under her bed.  
  
"But you didn't... an' zat is somesing you cannot help mein freund." Kurt reasoned.  
  
"Just leave me alone... I want to sleep... " Almika said, slipping beneath the covers and hiding her head.  
  
Alena shrugged to Kurt and they left, letting Almika to wallow in her own misery.  
  
The next day, Almika woke up with a huge hangover and something behind her on her bed. She turned over half-asleep and almost choked as she gasped.  
  
"Kurt... what are you doing here?" Almika asked, looking cross-eyed to notice that their noses were almost touching.  
  
"I came to see if you vere avake yet... you veren't, but I stayed anyvay, to vatch you sleep." Kurt smiled.  
  
"I've got a huge hangover Kurt, leave me alone..." Almika groaned.  
  
"Zee best zing you could do now iz get up and act like you don't 'ave a 'angover. Zat vay you get over it quicker?" Kurt suggested, smiling to her.  
  
"Grrr... fine, I'm getting up..." Almika growled at him, sitting up in bed and holding her head.  
  
Kurt rolled off her bed and said, "I'll see you downstairs in a bit, alright?"  
  
"Mmm." Almika replied, getting up.  
  
As Kurt left, Almika stumbled to her cupboard, pulling out some clothes and staggered off to the showers, preparing herself for the inevitable...  



	16. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika and Darion belong to ME!!! Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime... everyone else is Marvel's.... so read up and get over it!!!  
  
Chapter 15: Another day in Loganville  
  
Logan sat at the bar after his fight; his career was back on track. A drink of his 'usual' sat before him, the same plain look upon his face as always. He drank in silence, the rest of the warehouse buzzing around him. It had been so long since Logan had thought of his past life that he could barely remember it. Sure, he could remember Xavier, Rogue, the Cajun, Storm, Toad, Alena and Almika, but what they looked like, how they acted, it was all a blur.  
  
*Maybe I've been in one fight too many... * Logan thought, shaking it off an instant later when he felt a hand touch his shoulder and heard a very strange accent.  
  
"Ex'cuse meh?" the male voice said again in a thick Irish accent.  
  
Logan looked to the hand upon his shoulder, then up the sleeve covered arm to a young man and replied, "Get your hand off me kiddo." Snarling as he said it.  
  
"I'm sorry te be a nuisance, bu' I thought ye might be able to help meh? Ye seem te be a man o' th' werld." The man replied.  
  
"What's it to ya?" Logan said, not caring really for him.  
  
"I be wunderin' ef ye cud be tellin' me the way to New Yerk?" he asked, sitting beside Logan and asking for a Guinness (*writers note: YAY GUINNESS!!)  
  
"What'cha wanna be goin' there for kiddo?" Logan asked.  
  
"There's sumone I be wantin' ta meet there." The man replied.  
  
"Hey! You!" a large man called as he walked towards them, "You're sittin' in mah seat!"  
  
The man walked up to the Irish man, standing over him menacingly and looking down at him.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I didn'na know this were ye seat, I don' see any names on et." The man smiled, raising his eyebrows a little.  
  
"Get the hell outta my sight before I have to mess ya up abit!" the brute argued.  
  
"Listen ok, I'm jus' sittin' here havin' a drenk, why don'ye jus' go find another seat?" the Irish man suggested.  
  
"Ok, ok, I'm going." The thug said, moving off to find himself another seat.  
  
Logan looked quizzically to the Irish man, asking him, "That guy never sits anywhere else kiddo, how'd ya make 'im move?"  
  
The Irish man winked, "The powers of persuasion me'boy." He laughed, turning to his drink, quite obviously not a Guinness. (*writers note: DAMN!)  
  
"Don't throw the word power around to freely, people have been killed for it." Logan warned him, "Now, about ya question..."  
  
"Aye." The man said, his expression becoming more relaxed.  
  
"By the way ya spoke to Steve, I think I know the place ya lookin' for." Logan smiled, "It's in New York, a school, called Xavier's School for Gifted and Talented."  
  
"How'd ye be knowin' tha'?" the man asked Logan, a little shocked.  
  
"Let's just say that I know the place well, and the way you dismissed Steve back there I figured it was more than ordinary persuasion kiddo." Logan said, "What's ya name?"  
  
"Darion, and yeself?" he replied.  
  
"Logan... and no usin' those powers of yours on me." Logan warned.  
  
"I wouldn'a do tha' unless I had te." Darion smiled, taking a sip of the drink he'd been served.  
  
Logan scribbled down an address on a drink mat and handed it to Darion, "Here, that's the address ya want. The next bus goes to New York in about 10 minutes from the bus stop down the road kiddo."  
  
"I be thankin' ye for ye help Logan..." Darion smiled, taking the drink mat and glancing at it quickly before going to leave.  
  
"Hey, before ya go... Take a message for me..." Logan said, writing on another drink mat.  
  
"Sure." Darion said, taking the second drink mat and smiling, "Be catchin' ye later."  
  
Before Logan could say another word, he was gone from the warehouse. Logan sighed, ordering another drink.  
  
He could still feel the tingle of Almika's touch on his skin, and wondered if she still felt the same way, but he knew it would never work, not with the distance between them, and he could never return there... well, not yet anyway...  
  
Logan started to wonder how they all were, how they were coping without him...  
  
*They're fine meathead... even Cyke'll be doin' well. I do miss them though... even him...* he thought, pushing the rest of his thoughts away with another drink.  



	17. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika and Darion are mine... ask me if you want to use them. Alena is Mariamus Prime's ask her for permission... I had to... Everyone else in here is Marvel's.... unfortunately....  
  
Chapter 16: A bit of Irish spirit...(*writers note:*sings* I want Guinness!  
  
The hangover still plagued Almika's head, making her feel as though a hammer hit her on the head each time she took a step towards Xavier's office. She walked in, her head slightly hanging.  
  
"Xavier, what's to become of Rogue and Reuben?" Almika asked, looking up.  
  
"They are both to be confined. I'm going to work with them, especially to see if I can subdue the vampiric tendencies. If not, then we'll figure that out then." Xavier said.  
  
Almika sighed a breath of relief and smiled, although it hurt her.  
  
"We need someone to take Rogue's classes. Some of them are taken care of, but there are a few that aren't. It's been discussed and we all agree that if you want, you should take them." Xavier said.  
  
"Which classes?" Almika asked.  
  
"There are only two of them, both pretty easy ones... you just have to take the students to the Danger Room and watch them as they practise..." Xavier said.  
  
"Sure... I'll do it." Almika smiled, nodding.  
  
"There's one today and one tomorrow." Xavier added.  
  
Almika groaned holding her head, "Looks like I'll be digging into the asprin then."  
  
Xavier smiled and chuckled softly, "Your first class is in an hour, the class will meet you in the Gymnasium."  
  
"Thanks Xavier..." Almika smiled, "I'd better go prepare myself..."  
  
Almika wandered out, her head still banging as she made her way to the kitchen, finding Kurt sitting there eating.  
  
"Hi Al." Kurt smiled, "How's the head feeling?"  
  
"Don't speak... I need asprin... got a class in an hour..." Almika groaned.  
Almika leaned into the medicine cabinet, pulling out two asprin and downing them with a glass of water that Kurt had brought over.  
  
"I didn't know you had lessons today..." Kurt said.  
  
"Not learning, teaching... one of Rogue's classes... got one tomorrow too." Almika said.  
  
Time passes quickly and Almika's head slowly recovered, almost fully better by the time class came. She sat by the control panel, watching the students fight off monsters, occasionally giving them suggestions and ideas on how to better their fighting skills. At the end of the class, Almika felt a lot better, no longer having the pounding and aching feeling in her head. She left the Gym and wandered up to Xavier's office, wondering why they thought of her to take the classes and not another student who was better equipped.  
  
Almika entered Xavier's office to find it empty, *That's strange* she thought, leaving again.  
  
Alena was right behind the door when she came out of the office, almost bumping into her.  
  
"Hi... have you seen Xavier around Alena?" Almika asked her, "He's not in his office for once..."  
  
"Ah, he might be with the new guy who came in while you were in the Gym." Alena suggested.  
  
"Where?" Almika asked.  
  
"Well, I'm on my way back to the new guy's room after getting some paperwork Xavier needs, I'll show ya..." Alena smiled, walking into the office and picking up some papers from the desk before leaving again. Almika followed her.  
  
"So, how did you find the class?" Alena asked on their way there.  
  
"Easy... It was heaps of fun though." Almika smiled, walking up the stairs and down the hallway.  
  
As they entered the room, Almika looked around. The room was like hers, although it was set out differently, there was a bed, dresser, cupboard, Xavier and a young man. He had short light purple hair, and lavender eyes. He wore jeans, a white t-shirt and a long black trench coat with boots. One hand fiddled in his pocket with an unknown object and the other hung limply at his side. He was taller than Almika and about the same size.  
  
"Almika, this is Darion, he's our new student. You'll have him in your class tomorrow." Xavier smiled to her.  
  
"Hello." Almika smiled.  
  
"It's nice te be meetin' ye." Darion replied, smiling, "I think this is for ye, was given et by a friend of yers, Logan?" He held out a drink mat, the same one Logan had given him.  
  
Almika's eyes flashed a glimpse of excitement as she took the drink mat and whispered, "Thankyou..."  
  
"Al, what does it say?" Alena asked, forgetting she was deaf, she waved her hand before Almika's face and asked again.  
  
Almika looked up and smiled, "He sends goodwill and hopes we're all ok and..."   
  
"And what?" Alena asked, excitedly impatient.  
  
"He misses us... all of us." Almika replied.  
  
"Maybe he'll be back soon?" Alena suggested.  
  
"No, not yet... He won't be back for a long time yet... I can tell." Almika sighed, her disposition going back to normal, or as normal as it had been lately.  
  
"Don't worry Al, he'll be back..." Alena comforted her.  
  
Almika closed her eyes for a moment to stop the tear that instantly fell down her cheek. An image of him came to her; he was smiling to her, as he sat on her bed. It was the last time she saw him, before he left. In the back of her mind she heard his last words to her whisper, *ok kiddo... sleep well.*   
  
It was all too much for her... she burst out crying on Alena's shoulder. When she could speak again, she looked to Darion and whispered, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Tha's ok. Ye allowed te feel tha' way." Darion smiled to her.  
  
"What was he doing when you met him?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Fightin' in a warehuse a few states away ye know. Didn'na seem happy, but tha' might jus' be him." Darion shrugged.  
  
Almika nodded, walking away, the drink mat still clutched in her hand. She walked straight to her room, sticking the drink mat to the wall near her picture of him and smiled sadly, hoping he'd come back to her soon.   
  
*Please come back Logan, I miss you...* Almika thought as she lay on her bed, looking straight to the picture.  
  
It was hours before she got up again... and by that time... she'd worn herself out so much... that all she could do was sleep....  



	18. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika and Darion are mine!!! Alena is Mariamus Prime's!!! The rest belong to Marvel... lucky bastards...  
  
8Note: I have never seen snow, nor do I have white Christmas' where I live, so if I get anything wrong about them, take it up with the one who decided that Australia shouldn't get white Christmas'.  
  
Chapter 17: Another white Christmas  
  
It was two months since Darion had arrived at the school. It'd been very quiet the whole time, even Almika's birthday had been a quiet day, but that was just the way that Almika liked it. Kurt and Almika had become very close, best friends, in the most extreme meaning of the words. It was almost like they depended on each other. Rogue and Reuben, though slowly coming through their urges with Xavier's help, were less agitated and almost visitable. Storm had gone away for a few months, not telling anyone when she'd be back. Logan hadn't been heard from, but for some reason unknown to even herself, Almika missed him but it didn't hurt. She knew he'd eventually come back, but she wasn't waiting anxiously anymore, just waiting.  
  
24th December, Christmas Eve...  
  
A thick blanket of snow covered the whole school grounds in white, the rooves were white, and the remains of the day's snowball fight could be seen on the windowsills and bricks of the mansion. Inside the mansion, lights beamed brightly in almost every room. Decorations had gone up about a week before, taking almost 3 days to put up. Tinsel covered the skirting boards along the ceilings and within the other decorations, slices of mistletoe hung, waiting for an unsuspecting victim to stand beneath them. The tree sat decorated in the rec room. Presents piled high beneath it, all shapes and sizes.  
  
Almika was walking downstairs towards the groups of people after having a quick shower. During the day, she'd been busy taking classes and throwing snow. Her eyes sparkled brightly, and the dress she wore was pink, almost girlish, but it made her look like the woman she was. She wore ballet slippers upon her small feet and on her left wrist sat a small bracelet with a blue flower on it. She looked around the groups of people, mingling together at the bottom of the stairs and all the way into and beyond the rec room nearby. Sitting on a lounge in the rec room were Toad and Alena, Gambit and Xavier were nearby talking, a drink in their hands and Cyclops, Darion and Kurt stood not far from them, also drinking and talking. As Almika brushed gently through the crowd, Gambit noticed her, pointing her out to Xavier as they walked towards her.  
  
"'Ello chere, dat's a beudiful dress ya wearin'. Any reason for da style?" Remy asked, smiling.  
  
"Greetings child." Xavier smiled.  
  
Almika smiled to them and sweetly said to Gambit, "It's Christmas, I can dress up and get away with it..."  
  
As they walked slowly towards the others, Darion saw them and nudged Kurt, subtly pointing to Almika and whispering to him.  
  
"It iz about time you joined uz." Kurt smiled, looking to Almika.  
  
"I thought I should make an appearance." Almika shrugged.  
  
"So wha' did ye get us all?" Darion asked her.  
  
"You'll find out tomorrow." Almika smiled.  
  
"I noticed that Storm doesn't have a present under the tree from you..." Scott said.  
  
"Ororo took hers when she left. She promised not to open it until Christmas Day." Almika explained.  
  
"Vhat about zee big von? It 'asn't a name on it..." Kurt asked.  
  
"That's for all the X-men, and no, I'm not telling what it is." Almika said.  
  
"Do you vant a drink Al?" Kurt asked.  
  
Almika nodded, "Sure."  
  
"Zay are in zee kitchen, ve'll boas go. Mine iz almost finished." Kurt smiled.  
  
As they walked away from the group, you could hear Darion whisper, "Did ye hear wha' Kurt got Al fer Chris'mas?"  
  
The kitchen was empty amazingly. Almika picked up a drink and stood by the table, almost leaning on it. Kurt pointed upwards to above her. Almika leant her head backwards in curiosity and peered upward, her cheeks blushing slightly.  
  
"It's mistletoe Kurt." Almika said.  
  
"An' vhat do people do under mistletoe?" Kurt smiled.  
"Usually they kiss..." Almika said, looking straight into his eyes.  
  
Silence cam over them and neither of them moved. It must've been awhile that they were there, because Toad and Alena came in, wondering where they were.  
  
"What's wiv standing there silently guys?" Toad asked.  
  
Almika pointed upwards and he followed her finger.  
  
"Well... did you kiss her Kurt?" Alena asked.  
  
Kurt shook his head and sighed, "Nein..."  
  
Toad stepped forward, placing a small peck upon Almika's cheek. Alena smiled.  
  
"There, you've been kissed under the mistletoe." Toad smiled.  
  
"Thanks Toad." Almika said, forcing a smile and thinking, *But it wasn't the one I wanted.*  
  
"We were only wondering where you two were..." Alena said, "C'mon Mortimer, at least we know they're alright."  
  
Alena pulled Toad gently by the arm, leading him out of the kitchen so they could be alone.  
  
"Kurt, if you don't want to..." Almika started and then added, "I was only expecting a pick on the cheek anyway..."  
  
"It, it's not zat... somezing you said to me once... it 'as stuck in my 'ead." Kurt sighed.  
  
"The thing about running away?" Almika asked.  
  
Kurt nodded slowly, "See... if you start to like me more zan a freund, zen somezing may go wrong."  
  
"Kurt, it's Christmas, don't think about things like that..." Almika said, "Just go with the flow and do whatever feels best. After all, we've been best-friends for awhile now, and I trust you not to run away from me..."  
  
Kurt stepped towards her, looking straight into her eyes. As he leant forward to kiss her, one of the students ran in with her friends. With all the screaming and commotion of seven 13 year old girls, there was no way they'd ever get anywhere.  
"Vould you like to go somevhere else Al?" Kurt asked.  
  
Almika smiled, liking the idea, so they slipped out of the kitchen and through the crowd, dodging certain people as they made their way to the library, where they knew no one would bother them. Almika and Kurt stood only inches from each other, their noses so close they could feel each other's breath run down their fronts.  
  
Almika stared straight into Kurt's eyes, she could feel her heart beat at a million miles and hour, and her palms become a little sweaty. It had been two, maybe three months since she'd even come close to feeling like this, and she hoped this time that it would last.  
  
Kurt couldn't stop shaking. Almika, to him, was amazing. She'd become his closest friend and in the few short months he'd been back at the mansion, she'd stolen his heart as well. He thought that he truly loved her, but he also knew Almika's past problems with love, it was like she was allergic to it.  
  
Kurt shrugged off his thoughts quickly and leant towards Almika, running his hand slowly through her hair as their lips touched. The kiss unfortunately didn't last long something interrupted them...  
  
"Al, there be a package jus' come for ye and th' others." Darion called into the library.  
  
"Shit, do ya think they knew what was going on?" Almika asked.  
  
"Well... probably, zay 'ave been predicting it for az long az I can remember." Kurt shrugged.  
  
As Almika and Kurt left the library, a large box came in through the mansion's front door, letting in a little cold and snow at the same time.  
  
"Who is it from?" Almika asked, as Toad and Darion looked it over.  
  
"There be nor name on et. But et doesn't look dangerous." Darion said.  
  
"Charles, would you like to do the honours?" Toad asked him.  
  
"I would love to..." Xavier said, leaning down from his wheelchair and pulling off the lid carefully.  
  
Inside the box sat another box, one smaller, and then another and another until the box was the size of a small television. As Xavier pulled the lid off the box, there was a loud bang and everyone stood defensively until they realised that there was glitter falling around them. They laughed for a moment, seeing their quick reactions and then looked to the box. On top was a small note, which Xavier picked up to read...  
  
"Dearest Friends, I am sorry that I am not here to spend Christmas with you, unfortunately I am caught up and cannot make it back. I had these made for you and hope you like them, I thought it was time for a change. I miss you all and hope to come back some day soon. Logan." Xavier read.  
  
Under the note sat light yellow and red clothes. As Xavier pulled one out, he handed it to Darion, who looked at it wide-eyed. On the back of the one-piece suit was the name 'Charles'. It looked like a tight-fitting suit, made of some type of thin rubber. The next one said 'Storm', then 'Rogue', 'Toad', 'Alena', 'Gambit', 'Nightcrawler', 'Cyclops', and finally, 'Almika'. Sitting on the front of Almika's was another note, which she instantly pulled off and read to herself.  
  
"Anything interesting Al?" Alena asked.  
  
Almika read on, her expression quickly becoming one of disbelief as she dropped the note and ran off, her head in her hands as she sobbed.  
  
"Should ve read it?" Kurt said, unsure.   
  
"Et woul' 'elp us understan' wha' she ran off like tha'..." Darion replied.  
  
Xavier leaned over, taking the note in his hands and reading it aloud for the group.  
  
"Almika, I hope you like your new outfit, and I hope it fits. I can't delay anymore what is going on. I cannot be with you, not now, not ever. The age difference isn't the problem, it's the fact that I can't. I just don't know how to deal with relationships. Ask anyone, I always run from them or I ruin them in stupid ways. Please don't change for me and keep yourself safe kiddo, if not for yourself, for me? Logan." Xavier read.  
  
"Oh dear... poor Almika..." Alena said quietly.  
  
"Dammit! Logan's gone too far this time. It's Christmas!" Cyclops cried.  
  
"I am going to see 'ow she iz. Don' vorry, I'll try to bring 'er back down, but I can't promise anyzing..." Kurt said, walking off after her.  
  
25th December, Christmas Day...  
  
Almika woke up early that morning, for no reason in particular. She thought back to last night and groaned loudly, burying her head in the pillow again. After reading the note and running off, she gone to her room, where Kurt had found her not long afterwards. They'd talked all night about everything from the next day to Logan, but mostly about Logan. Last thing she remembered was lying in Kurt's arms as he ran his long fingers through her hair, and then... sleep.  
  
She went to hop out of bed and looked down to her waist, an arm hung over her side, holding her tightly and another came underneath her, linking with the other. They squeezed her softly once and Almika turned over, coming face to face with an elfish grin upon the face of a man who looked familiar.  
  
"Goot morning Al..." Kurt whispered, "Merry Christmas..."  
  
"Merry Christmas to you too..." Almika smiled to him.  
  
"I know you can't 'ear it, but zee students are makin' a racket outside, I zink zay are waiting for uz." Kurt smiled.  
  
Almika groaned, "Think we should go join them?"  
  
"If vee don' zay might start a revolt..." Kurt smiled.  
  
Almika smiled, looking down... she wore her long blue nightdress...  
  
"Let's go... it is Christmas after all, and it is better to give than to receive..." Almika said, kissing his cheek before she pulled away and stood beside the bed, putting on her matching dressing gown.  
  
They walked down to the rec room, where a sea of people stood, all waiting.  
  
"'Ave a good nigh' sleep?" Darion asked slyly as he smiled to Kurt.  
  
"Sorry it's taken me so long to wake up..." Almika apologised, "What time is it anyway?"  
  
"10am..." Toad smiled to her.  
  
"Better give the students their presents, otherwise they'll start chanting." Alena smiled, starting to hand them out.  
  
When all the other students had gotten their presents and disappeared to unwrap them, the X-men and honorary X-men sat around the tree, looking at the presents.  
"Well, someone hand out theirs first?" Almika asked, "I want mine opened last..."  
  
Alena shrugged, standing and handing each present to the appropriate person. 10 minutes later, only Kurt and Almika's presents still sat under the tree unwrapped.  
  
They looked at each other quickly and Kurt stood. He handed each present to the person on the tag and then Almika's came from his pocket.  
  
"I vasn't going to put zis under zee tree as it's kinda precious..." Kurt smiled, handing Almika a small, not wrapped box.  
  
Everyone watched with wide-eyes as Almika lifted the top of the box, her eyes anxious to see what was so precious. Sitting among the soft cotton in the bottom of the box sat a pair of earrings and a ring. The earrings were made of gold with small red gems in them. The ring was also gold and on the top of the band sat a large purple stone, which looked slightly bluish.   
  
"Zee gems in zee earrings are garnet and zee one in zee ring is so rare zat even zee jeweller could not tell me it's full name." Kurt smiled.  
  
Almika bit her lip softly as she picked up the ring from the box, showing it to Alena who sat next to her. A small tear came to her eye, but she quickly wiped it away, placing the ring upon her index finger.  
  
"It... they... I..." Almika stuttered.  
  
"Don' zay a verd Al, you don' need to." Kurt said, watching her eyes.  
  
"Come on mon ami, dere's still gifts to be handed out." Gambit smiled, breaking the moment.  
  
Alena glared at Gambit who shrugged and sighed.  
  
A moment later, Almika stood, a little shaky from the shock.  
  
"I know these aren't much, but I haven't had much money lately, as you all know, and I thought this was the best thing I could give..." Almika said, handing each of them a present.  
  
All of the presents were longer than they were wide, and thin. Each of them opened them in their own way, looking surprised at their present.  
  
"It's beautiful Almika..." Toad smiled to her.  
  
"Don't lie Toad, I didn't spend very long on them." Almika said.  
  
"Is dat what I really look like?" Gambit asked, holding the drawing of himself up next to his face.  
  
"Kurt, I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything close to what you've given me this Christmas, but I promise I'll make it up to you..." Almika apologised.  
  
"Al, it's a present, an' you've given me more in zese las' few montz zan I could ever 'ave imagined." Kurt smiled to her, something in his eyes that she had never seen before, "But you didn' 'ave to draw a new picture of me... I vould be 'appy vis zee uzer von, zee first von you drew of me."  
  
Almika looked to him, a wide smile upon her face as she shook her head slowly in disbelief.  
  
"Now for the big one. This is all I could afford, so I made sure I got something for all of you..." Almika smiled, pulling forward the huge box.  
  
"Scott, could you open it?" Almika asked.  
  
Scott smiled to her, "Sure..." he said, standing and leaning over the present as he opened it.  
  
Pulling from the box a folded black t-shirt, Scott let it fall out to show the pattern on it. On the front it had a huge yellow X and on the back were the words, 'Don't fuck with me I'm an X-man!'  
  
A few small giggles erupted as Scott handed out the shirts to each of them.  
  
"'Ow many are there?" Darion asked.  
  
"20, they were cheaper in bulk." Almika smiled, watching as he slipped it over his head.  
  
"Zay are very cute Al, are you actually expecting uz to vear zem?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Yes, yes I am..." Almika smiled, trying to hide a laugh.  
  
When the rec room had been cleaned and all the presents were put away, everyone had showered and come together outside the front door in their woollen mittens and winter clothing.  
  
"Since it's Christmas Day, and it's snowed overnight, we've planned to have a huge snowball fight, so Almika, take one half of the students, Gambit, take the other half and start building your forts about there, and there." Xavier said, pointing to two places in the snow about 15 metres away from each other, "The rest of us split in half and join either of the groups."  
  
Xavier sat on the front steps as the two teams built up their snow forts. Almika's team was the first to ambush, taking down half of Gambit's teams before the forts had even been finished.  
  
"Fine mon ami, if ya wish ta play dat way, we can play dat way!!" Gambit called to Almika as he sent out a troop of students armed with snowballs.  
  
Before they even reached halfway, students from the other team attacked them wildly. The whole troop ran back to the fort screaming excitedly as they tried to free the snow from under their clothes.  
  
"Woohoo!!!!!!!!" Almika screamed, "I'm gonna kick ya Cajun ass until is black and blue Gambit!!!"  
  
"Come on chere, bring da kickin' on!!" Gambit screamed back.  
  
The screaming went back and forth for another 1/2 hr, Almika reading the words from Gambit's mind, before she sent out all the students from her team armed with snowballs in rows. They ran across the firing ground with ease, Gambit's team not quite ready for the attack. They jumped on the fort, smacking it to the ground, the snow falling easily beneath them. When they had trashed the snow fort, cried of winning came from the team, Gambit's team now running for their lives as some of Almika's team ran after them, dragging them to the ground and sitting on them. Almika came from behind her fort to see Gambit standing firmly in the snow by his. A wicked grin came to her face as she walked towards him, her hand held out in a truce.  
  
As Gambit took Almika's hand, she held tightly, pushing him into the snow and jumping to sit on him.  
  
"Do you give up?" Almika asked, smiling happily.  
  
"Never!" Gambit cried, pushing her off his chest and jumping up, starting to run off.  
  
Almika, not fazed by this reaction, instantly jumped into a fly, taking him by the back of his shirt and lifting him off the ground. She returned to the scene of the snowball fight, holding Gambit above the students and called, "I have the Cajun leader... give up now or be taken by force!" an evil laugh escaped her lips as she watched the students run in all directions trying to find hiding places, "Do you give up Cajun leader?" Almika called, asking Gambit who hung below her.  
  
"Never... I'll say dat again for your deaf ears... NEVER!!!" Gambit cried, a large smile upon his face.  
  
"Darion, could you do me a favour?" Almika called.  
  
"What might I be helpful with?" Darion asked her, looking upwards to them.  
  
"You have an ability I would like to take advantage of..." Almika smiled.  
  
"Bring the leada' 'ere an' I'll work me magic on 'im." Darion smiled.  
  
Almika lowered Gambit to Darion's level and watched as he used his power of persuasion.  
  
"I GIVE UP!!!" Gambit screamed.  
  
Almika lowered Gambit to the ground and flew up, doing a few somersaults before landing near Xavier.  
  
"Well done child, you used your forces well." Xavier smiled, "But you did not have to take it that far..."  
  
"I do what I have to. There were no actual rules, so I made up my own..." Almika shrugged, looking to the students coming up the stairs to her.  
  
"Miss, wha' do we get fer winnin'?" one of the younger students asked.  
  
Almika thought for a moment and smiled, "How about a free lesson in the Gym?"  
  
All the students groaned as Almika and Xavier laughed.  
  
"I think you deserve a prize... how about... some of these?" Xavier smiled, pulling bags of lollies from the bag on his lap.  
  
The students ran around with their lollies for hours afterwards as the X-men sat inside, talking and drinking.  
  
"Dat was a well won fight Al, I didn' think ya had it in ya." Gambit smiled.  
  
"Never underestimate me Remy, I can be just as good as the next guy, or girl as it may be..." Almika winked to him.  
  
"Iz zis conversation going to last all night?" Kurt asked, holding Almika to him.  
  
Almika nodded, "Yep, I'll never let him live it down..." she smiled, "Well, maybe in a few years..."  
  
They talked well into the afternoon when Almika decided it was time for a shower and change of clothes. Alena agreed with her and started to walk off beside her as she heard Gambit mutter, "Women... dey always want a shower and de change o' clothes."  
  
Almika, having heard the thought, spun around and moved her fingers in a circular motion, forming the gold rope, which wound around Gambit like a second skin.  
  
"Hey! Dat's not playing fair!" Gambit cried as she walked away.  
  
Almika just ignored him, hoping he'd maybe learn his lesson as Alena giggled to herself, following quietly.   
  
As they reached the top of the stairs, Alena smiled to Almika and whispered, "Merry Christmas Al..."  



	19. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I own Darion and Almika, Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime, everyone else is a Marvel full-colour superhero...   
  
Note: I've written this as a New Years fanfic so that I don't stuff up the timing of my story... Ill write a different one when New Years 2000 does come around...  
  
Chapter 18: New Years and Old Faces  
  
Christmas Day seemed like such a long time ago to Almika, with the plans for New Years Eve clouding her head. She and Kurt had been an official item since Christmas Eve, the day she knew for sure that she'd lost Logan. It wasn't meant to happen that way, but that's how it worked out. Kurt, a German-born mutant with beautiful shiny eyes and indigo hair had caught her heart as it fell and held it tight. Sometimes she sat alone in her room just smiling, thinking to herself as she fiddled with the ring on her left index finger, her Christmas present from Kurt.  
  
New Years was going to be a small deal, with the X-men, her closest and only friends, almost her only family. Thoughts of her father still wandered through her mind, but she really didn't have time and wasn't sure she wanted to know anymore. He'd never bothered to contact her, whoever he was.  
  
Almika glanced at the sleeping Kurt as she crept out of their room and smiled. He looked so peaceful when he slept, almost angelic. Almika carefully closed the door and crept down the hallway leading to the stairs and the mile-high snow outside. As she stepped outside, she looked across the white grounds. Fresh snow had obviously fallen the night before, because there were no footprints from what Almika could see. Almika wandered down the front stairs, gently packing some snow in her hand and throwing it. For no reason in particular, she started to make snow people. There were three and the body of another before she realised Xavier was sitting at the front doors watching her.  
  
"Good morning Xavier." Almika smiled, walking up the stairs to him.  
  
"Good morning child." Xavier replied, "You're up early this morning."  
  
"Just doing some unwanted thinking..." Almika sighed.  
  
"About your father..." Xavier added to her sentence.  
  
Almika nodded, "I'm not sure I want to know who he is anymore. He's never even bothered to try and contact me, so why should I worry about him?"  
  
"I'm sure he had his reasons child, at least give him a chance." Xavier suggested.  
  
"Maybe..." Almika shrugged, "Is anyone else awake?"  
  
"Mortimer and Remy have been up almost as long as you have." Xavier replied.  
  
"You know something about my father, don't you?" Almika said suddenly.  
  
"Child, we've had this discussion before." Xavier quickly said, as if he were covering something.  
  
"Fine." Almika sighed, walking inside.  
  
New Years Eve, the day, seemed t drag itself out, as if it didn't want to become the next year. Almika had a short class in the morning and an even shorter on that afternoon. It was 5pm by the time Almika got to see Kurt again.  
  
Somewhat bored and a little tired, Almika slumped in the rec room as she watched the news. Kurt sat beside her, his hand resting on her thigh. There was nothing special on the news, some anti-mutant rebels, a war and the upcoming election.  
  
"The year's almost over Al, lighten up." Toad smiled.  
  
"Sorry Toad. I've been run off my feet today and I'm in the middle of thinking." Almika sighed, standing.  
  
"Al, vhat 'as been going on lately? You 'ave been very unlike yourself..." Kurt asked her, his facial expression one of concern.  
  
"I've been thinking about my father, wishing he'd come and find me, but also wondering if I want to know him." Almika admitted.  
  
"'E'll show 'is face when 'e feels righ' ye know." Darion said.  
  
"Yeah, I know." Almika said, walking off to have a shower.  
  
A few hours later, about 10.30pm, after dinner and a few drinks, the X-men found themselves around the television, watching the countdown to the New Year. The front door slammed suddenly, although no one noticed with the amount of chatter circulating.  
  
"No, I personally don't care if he does. After dragging me through that much pain and shit, if Logan ever comes back, I'll be the last person to give the bastard a warm welcome." Almika snarled, "But as soon as the clock ticks over midnight, I'm forgetting all my problems, that one included and all will be alright, cause I say so!"  
  
"It's nice to know ya still feel for me darlin'." Logan said from the doorway, his rugged figure walking in.  
  
Everyone except Almika welcomed Logan home, shaking his hand and hugging him.  
  
"Nice ya see ya made it kiddo." Logan smiled to Darion.  
  
"Et's good te see ye come back." Darion replied.  
  
As everyone returned to his or her place, Almika stood walking out and to the kitchen. Not surprising to her, Logan followed, standing in the doorway so she either had to push past him or speak to him to get out.  
  
"Look kiddo..." Logan started.  
  
Something inside Almika's head went ~ping~, she was furious and she interrupted, almost screaming, "Don't you dare 'look kiddo' me Logan! You leave one night, no goodbye and I don't hear from you for ages, until I receive a message written on a drink mat from a dingy warehouse fighting pit, then, on Christmas Day of all the days in the year, I get a simple note with my present saying that you cant be with me and you're expecting me to just welcome you back with open arms and pretend everything is ok? If you really belive that, prepare to be shocked!"  
  
Almika leant down and grabbed a beer from inside the fridge, throwing it at Logan and refilled her drink, walking straight up to him. Logan was still totally speechless, not able to think of what to say.  
  
"Move it or lose it Logan. It's almost next year, and all my problems, including this one, are staying in this year." Almika warned.  
  
"Darlin', I'm sorry it had ta happen this way, 'sides, ya got Kurt ta look after ya..." Logan said, words finally coming to him.  
  
"Look, I don't want to talk about it. Let me go back to my semi-peaceful existence." Almika said.  
  
Logan sighed heavily and wandered away, beer in hand. Almika stood in the doorway for a few minutes, watching the clock in the kitchen tick over to 11.50pm. She rejoined the others in the rec room, her disposition a little better now she'd released some built-up energy.  
  
At two minutes to twelve, the tension was almost unbearable, everyone fidgeted in their seats.  
  
5............... 4........... 3.................. 2.............. 1.....................  
  
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!" everyone cried.  
  
There were hugs and kisses all around as they celebrated. Almika noticed Logan watching everyone quietly from one side of the room. She walked towards him slowly, stopping before him.  
  
"Happy New Year Logan... want that warm welcome now?" Almika asked.  
  
"Same to yaself darlin', and only if ya willin' ta give it." Logan smiled, hugging her.  
  
"Almika, I have something you'll be wanting to read." Xavier butted in, holding out a manilla folder.  
  
"What is it?" Almika asked, taking the folder.  
  
"Everything you'll ever want to know about your family child. It is time you knew..." Xavier said.  
  
Almika's eyes lit up instantly. She bent down and kissed his cheek gently before jumping to the couch and everyone gathered round to hear the news that Xavier had finally brought to light...  



	20. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I own Almika, Darion and Bouncer, Alena is Mariamus Prime's and the rest belong to Marvel...  
  
Chapter 19: Almika's family  
  
Gathered around the lounge, in the first few hours of the New Year, listening as Almika read about her family were, Kurt, Toad, Alena, Gambit, Cyclops, Darion and off to one side, crouched and smoking his trademark cigar was Logan. Xavier had disappeared from the room shortly after handing Almika the folder.  
  
"Come on Al, tell us 'bout ya family..." Gambit urged.  
  
"Ok, ok." Almika smiled, opening the folder, "Child's name: Almika Jasmine. Mother's name: Beatrice. Siblings: Faith and Oriola. Oh, hang on, that's my birth certificate, that won't tell us anything..."  
  
Almika giggled nervously as she flicked through the pages until she came to the last four.  
  
"Vhat does it say Al?" Kurt asked, the tension becoming too much for the German.  
  
"Name: Beatrice, aka: Cinders, Age: 49, Born: 27th April, Died: 13th October, cause of death: strangulation, children: Oriola (dead), Faith (dead), Almika Jasmine (unknown whereabouts)..." Almika read from the first page, "next page... Name: Oriola, Age: 32, Born: 1st February, Died: 13th October, cause of death: burnt, Siblings: Faith (dead), Almika Jasmine (whereabouts unknown), Father: Timothy Clark (dead)." Almika turned to the third page slowly, starting to read again, "Name: Faith aka Ms Stanley, Age: 27, Born: 7th December, Died: 13th October, cause of death: burnt, Siblings: Oriola (dead), Almika Jasmine (whereabouts unknown), Father: Timothy Clark.  
  
Almika looked at the pages, turning to the last one slowly, unsure of what to expect.  
  
"C'mon Al, who's your father???" Alena asked excitedly.  
  
"Name: Charlie, Born: unknown, Died: n/a, Children: Almika Jasmine, Family name: Xavier..." Almika dropped off there for a moment, her hands releasing the papers as they fell to the floor.  
  
"Charlie's ya father?" Logan said, unsure of what he had heard.  
  
Almika started to go pale, unsure what to do next, "I... I... I have to go find him..." she stammered, quickly running from the room.  
  
"'oo woulda' known other than the Professa'?" Darion asked.  
  
"Only the kid's mother, an' she's been dead going on 15 years now." Logan replied, stubbing out the end of his cigar.  
  
In Xavier's office, he sat behind the desk, writing furiously waiting for her to burst in.  
  
"Why didn't you tell?" Almika asked, leaning on the desk.  
  
"I couldn't. I had promised your mother not to until the New Years Day of your 20th year." Xavier said.  
  
"So you let me run around in a frenzy trying to find him... and you lied to me." Almika snarled.  
  
"Almika, please. There were so many times I just wanted to tell you, but I had to keep the promise, for your mother's sake." Xavier pleaded.  
  
"I suppose you're right... I am glad that I know now though." Almika smiled.  
  
"Me too. Now I can finally relax and not worry about saying something wrong now." Xavier smiled.  
  
Kurt stuck his head in the door, catching Almika's eye as he said, "Vee 'ave Magneto problems."  
  
"Let's go then!" Almika smiled, "Where is he?"  
  
"Coming through zee front gates." Kurt replied as she ran past to join the others in the rec room.  
  
"Well, are we gona go talk or what?" Almika smiled to them.  
  
"I thought ya'd never ask darlin'" Logan smiled, hopping down from his perch.  
  
Almika lead them out the front door and they stood defensively as Magneto approached.  
  
"Hello X-men." Magneto smiled to them.  
  
"Vhat do you vant Magnet-boy?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Well, aren't you defensive tonight Elf-man." Magneto smiled.  
  
"Just tell us what you want Eric, then fuck off." Almika spat.  
  
"Ah, the lil' girl speaks. Figured out who your father is yet?" Magneto asked.  
  
"Yes, I have, but that's not the point." Almika said.  
  
"Ah, but it is Almika. What do you think he'd say if he knew you'd been captured by me?" Magneto smirked.  
  
"I don't have to bother about that cause it'll never happen." Almika replied.  
  
Magneto shifted his stance, crossing his arms over his chest, "Almika, I only wish one thing from you, come with me so I can take it?"  
  
"Es this man botherin' ya's?" a young woman asked, pushing the long hair from her eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" Alena asked, wondering where she'd come from.  
  
"Me name's not important now dear, it's this big macho boy what's important. I'll only arks twice. Is 'e botherin' yas?" the woman asked, standing her hands on her hips.  
  
"What could you do about it girlie?" Magneto asked.  
  
"Will one of ya's use a power on me? Somethin' powerful?" the woman asked the X-men.  
  
"Vhat do you mean? Kill you?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Nah, not kill me. Look, one-eye, shoot at me!" the woman called to Scott.  
  
"I take no responsibility for what I am about to do..." Scott said, lifting the glasses, which sat comfortably on the end of his nose.  
  
Before they could blink, the woman caught the blast in the stomach, her eyes closed, she turned towards Magneto and opened her eyes, the same blast coming from her eyes and hitting Magneto in the chest, knocking him flat on his back.  
  
"Pretty neat huh?" the woman smiled, her eyes flashing red for a second before going back to their gleaming silver.  
  
"Child, what is your name?" Xavier asked her.  
  
"Call us Bouncer." She smiled in reply as Magneto stood.  
  
"It seems we will have to continue this another time Almika. I will be back some other time." Magneto said, encasing himself in his bubble and floating away.  
  
"So, who is tha' dork anyway?" the woman asked, pointing to Magneto.  
  
She was a strange woman, very mysterious, with an accent that no one could pick. She wore a pair of cut off army pants, a red singlet top and black sneakers. Around her neck hung dog tags and a pair of dark sunnies hung from her singlet. She entered the mansion behind them and sat in the rec room off to one side from the main group.  
  
"So, Bouncer, where are you from?" Almika asked her.  
  
"Here, there, anywhere I wanna be from." Bouncer smiled, pulling her knees to her chin.  
  
"What made you come here?" Xavier asked, curious.  
  
"I heard 'bout da school an' I thought yas mighta needed another mutie aroun' who can fight..." Bouncer replied, shrugging.  
  
"How well can ya fight kiddo?" Logan asked.  
  
"It's no' how well I can fight doll, its how I fight tha' madders." Bouncer smiled to him.  
  
"Dis aint no surprise to Gambit, lots o' funny things happen to da X-men on big holidays." Remy muttered to himself, maybe a little too openly.  
  
"Ah hear ya sugah." A sweet voice said from the doorway.  
  
"Chere! You ok?" Gambit asked, rushing to help her as she limped in and took her to a seat.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you up so soon child, how do you feel?" Xavier asked.  
  
"Ah'm thinkin' a tonne o' bricks fell on mah head." Rogue smiled, "But it does feel good ta be up an' outta the lab..."  
  
"It's good ta see ya kiddo." Logan remarked.  
  
"Is de lady all fixed now?" Gambit asked Xavier hopefully.  
  
"Yes, you'll notice that Rogue has to wear an anklet permanently from now on." Xavier smiled.  
  
"Ah think ah'll go back ta bed..." Rogue smiled, standing.  
  
"Gambit will go with ya chere, jus' ta make sure ya ok." He smiled, holding her up as they hobbled off to bed.  
  
"Et's time I disappeared too." Darion said, walking out.  
  
As people started to filter off, Almika yawned and stretched.  
  
"You should get some sleep too Almika, you have a big day tomorrow." Xavier said.  
  
"Yes Dad." Almika smiled, rolling her eyes at him.  
  
As she and Kurt left the rec room, you could hear Bouncer ask, "Are ya really her father?"  
  
Xavier smiled to Bouncer warmly and nodding slowly replied, "Yes, and she's the best daughter I could ever have..."  



	21. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Darion, Almika and Bouncer belong to me... Alena belongs to Mariamus Prime and everyone else is Marvel's...   
  
Chapter 20: An evil side of life  
  
*10.20am flight from Darwin, Australia to New York, America.  
  
Storm sat comfortably on the plane, watching the clouds out the window as they flew. She'd been absolutely busting to go to the toilet since the 5 minute stop-over in Thailand, but she didn't dare go to on the plane, she knew how small they were and she got queasy every time she thought about it.  
  
There was only 10 minutes until the plane landed, so she hung on and the second it landed, she rushed off the plane and straight into the airport toilets. Taking her bags from the rollers, Storm wandered outside and shoved her bags in the trunk of a taxi, sitting in the backseat.  
  
"Where to?" the driver asked.  
  
"Xavier Institute thankyou." Storm replied.  
  
It was quiet in the taxi, no radio, nothing. Storm thought quietly to herself as she watched streets go by. There was a small prick in the calf of her left leg, like a pin, but when she looked down, nothing.  
  
*Must've been nothing...* Storm thought.  
  
As the taxi pulled up to the school, Storm hopped out, taking her bags and paying the driver. She'd never seen his face, just heard his voice, but she had an inkling that something was wrong. As she entered the mansion, she started to feel a little dizzy and tired.  
  
*Damn jetlag... * she thought.  
  
Looking into the rec room, she found no one, so she went to Xavier's office. He sat in his chair, scribbling on a piece of paper.  
  
"Hello Xavier..." Storm smiled as she walked in.  
  
"Ah, Storm, you're back..." Xavier smiled to her, "How was your holiday?"  
  
"Very exciting, but I seem to have been hit by a bout of jetlag on the way home..." Storm said.  
"You go rest child, I will see you later in the day?" Xavier replied.  
  
Storm nodded, her head becoming a little hazy as she wandered out. She wasn't feeling well, which was strange for the Weather Goddess. Returning to her room, she lay down and was asleep instantly.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Dat's nor 'ow ya make porridge!" Gambit cried, laughing.  
  
"It's zee only vay I know..." Nightcrawler shrugged, his face hiding a sly smile.  
  
"What are you two on about?" Almika asked, confused as she walked into the kitchen to find Kurt holding a bowl of oats and water and Gambit leaning upon the table, laughing at him.  
  
"The Elf is tryin'a make porridge, an' 'e's makin' it all wrong." Gambit laughed, trying hard to spit the words out.  
  
"Remy's picking on my cooking skills..." Kurt said, making a sad face at her.  
  
"Aw, poor Kurtie-poo." Almika smiled, rubbing his back.  
  
Kurt glared at her evilly and then smiled, kissing her cheek.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Scott, could you help me with something?" Alena asked, pulling a tray towards him.  
  
"Maybe..." Scott smiled.  
  
"No hitting on my woman Scott!" Toad laughed.  
  
"Would I do that?" Scott laughed.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Me bloody ankle's broke..." Bouncer snarled at Darion.  
  
"Oh dear... I'll be righ' back, jus' gona get Xavier..." Darion smirked, running off.  
  
Bouncer sat on the ground in the Danger Room, pissed off more than anything. Maybe it was just her, but no one really liked her, except Logan and Darion. Almika was curious about her but never really spoke to her, and Kurt followed fashion, Toad and Almika were too busy with doing things to notice her, Xavier was busy with keeping the school together, Cyclops was just a dork and Gambit and Rogue were too busy catching up after Rogue's little accident, whatever it had been. No one had bothered to tell her what had happened.  
  
Logan walked into the Danger Room slowly, cigar hanging from his mouth. He noticed Bouncer lying on the floor breathing deeply.  
  
"This a new way of fightin' darlin'? Lay on the floor an' the opposition won' see ya?" Logan smiled as he leant over her, absently blowing smoke in her face as he spoke.  
  
Bouncer didn't mind Logan, he seemed very different, like her, and he loved to fight and smoke cigars, "Gone an' broke me ankle doll, Darion's gone ta find Xavier." She replied.  
  
Logan slipped his hands under her legs and back, picking her up easily and placing her down on a chair nearby.  
  
"There ya go kiddo. Ya can see normal now." Logan smiled, sitting nearby.  
  
"Thanks..." Bouncer said.  
  
"So darlin', what is ya real name?" Logan asked, "Or ya jus' gona leave that to time?"  
  
"It's Eldaran. I hate me name, so don' tell anyone, or I'll 'ave ta kill ya." Bouncer admitted.  
  
"Eldaran, that's a pretty sweet name ya know." Logan said.  
  
"Yeah, whateva' Wha' shoul' I believe a short, hairy, man with a bad attitude?" Bouncer asked.  
  
"Cause you're gona..." Darion said suddenly, coming from the door with Xavier.  
  
Logan sniffed a bit, mostly near Xavier, "Tha's a familiar scent Professor... You been diggin' into Ororo's perfume?" he laughed as Xavier looked to him unimpressed.  
  
"She's very tired Logan, I think something is wrong because she never gets jetlag, but she had it today when she returned." Xavier said, looking at Bouncer's ankle.  
  
"Tha' is strange Charlie... is there anyway we can find out?" Logan asked.  
  
~~~~  
  
Storm awoke later that day, about mid-afternoon, she felt a little strange, different, as if she wasn't the same. She wandered off to the shower quickly, hoping to clear the feeling. When she came back to her room, she felt the same. Catching a glance of herself in the mirror near her dresser, Storm gasped. Taking a closer look, she saw blue dots upon the pigment of her eyes and little bubbles, like blisters under the skin of her hands and feet. She stood looking at herself in the mirror for what seemed like ages, studying the dots and bubbles. They looked as if they moved under her skin and in her eyes. The dots made little swirly patterns on her eyes, slowly fading like engine exhaust. The bubbles also moved around her hands, as if they lived. Storm took a deep breath to calm herself and then, when she couldn't figure out what else to do, she ran, all the way to Xavier...  



	22. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika, Darion and Bouncer are mine, Mariamus Prime owns Alena and everyone else is owned by Marvel...  
  
Chapter 21: Where the evil begins  
  
"Charles! Charles!" Storm cried, running down the hallway to his office.  
  
Almika and Scott stood in Xavier's office at the time, talking about how the classes Almika had been taking were going.  
  
"Charles! Something is wrong with me!" Storm cried, running in to his office.  
  
"What is it Ororo?" Xavier asked, turning to look at her, "Oh my!"  
  
"I don't know what it is or how I got it..." Storm said, looking at her hands.  
  
"Go to the lab, I'll be down there soon with the doctor." Xavier said calmly.  
  
Storm walked out, headed for the lab, a scared look on her face as she went.  
  
Almika looked quizzically to Xavier who shrugged. Suddenly there was a loud shrill sound, like a siren in her head and she collapsed, writhing in pain of the sound. She started to scream as the siren got louder, holding her hands to her ears.  
  
Kurt, unsure what was going on, leant over his woman, a scared look on his face, "Vhat is wrong viz her Xavier?"  
  
"I do not know, I cannot speak to her mind, it is like her mind has been shut off from the world, caged." Xavier said, worried, "Get her to the lab now..."  
  
Kurt scooped her up in his arms, looking at her with fear on his face as he ran out and down to the laboratory.   
  
~~~~  
  
"I don't know vhat to do now... Al and Storm are in the laboratory in confinement. Not even Xavier knows what is wrong..." Kurt sighed, his head in his hands.  
  
"Don't worry Kurt, I know Almika will be alright. She always seems to pull through her problems." Alena smiled to him.  
  
"Charlie is workin' 'imself dry over it Elf, 'e'll find the problem." Logan said.  
"He can'na get inta 'er mind Logan, 'ow is 'e goin'na do et?" Darion asked.  
  
"He'll find a way..." Logan said sullenly, "He always does..."  
  
~~~~  
  
It was a whole week before Xavier dared to contact Princess-Majextrix Lilandra. He didn't want to seem as though he depended on the Shi`ar technology to save his students.  
  
"Lilandra, I need your help. There are two strange diseases attached to my students, please come visit." Xavier pleaded.  
  
"I will come Charles, but only this once, I am needed here too." Lilandra replied as she disappeared.  
  
~~~~  
  
2 days later:  
  
"My dear heart, you know I cannot stay long, maybe a week..." Lilandra said.  
  
"I know Lilandra... we must find a cure for Ororo and my daughter." Xavier said as they entered the lab together.  
  
Storm sat in one confinement, looking at her hands and arms. The bubbles had started to spread to all parts of her body, her arms, legs and face. The dots were larger in her eyes, visible from further away now.   
  
Almika lay in the other confinement. The sounds in her head hadn't stopped yet, but she was being kept under drugs, slowing her movements and calming her down.   
  
Lilandra stood at the confinements, her hands upon the glass. Her eyes looked sad as she saw them, "I can see Ororo's disease, but what of Almika's?"  
  
"She is under the influence of drugs... she is hearing something... I don't know what... I cannot talk to her and she only screams..." Xavier said sadly.  
  
"I will stay longer if I must for you my sweet, but I do not know if I can help Almika. Ororo has a disease called Delangil Prevous. It is simple to cure if you know the right people, as you do." Lilandra said.  
  
"Is there any way you know of that we might find out what is plaguing Almika?" Xavier asked her as Kurt came down the stairs unnoticed.  
  
Lilandra shook her head sadly, "I know of no way to find out. If you could get blood samples and the like, maybe, but..."  
  
"You 'ave to find a way Lilandra..." Kurt said suddenly, "I need her..."  
  
Kurt looked in through the glass sadly to Almika, pressing his body against it as he leaned on it. Almika looked up sadly, she could still 'hear' the scream in her head, but the drugs that had been pumped into her had slowed her reaction. A tear fell down her cheek slowly as she reached out, holding her hand to the glass. Kurt crouched down, placing his hand over hers, looking to her sadly as she passed out again...  



	23. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika, Darion and Bouncer are mine... mine... MINE!!! Mariamus Prime owns Alena... Marvel owns everything else...   
  
Chapter 22: A Cure and A Wish  
  
Almika felt like it had been ages since she'd seen sunlight... and it had. It had been exactly 2 weeks and 3 days since she'd seen the rays of sunlight filtering through a window. She was still in the laboratory, having tests done. She missed Storm, who had been let out 5 days before having been cured with Princess-Majestix Lilandra's help. They talked while Almika was conscious, sure, it wasn't much of a conversation, but it was better than passing in and out of consciousness with no means of entertainment. Kurt came to see her every single day, the same sad look in his eyes. He missed her touch, her kisses, and her smile. He even missed the way she sneezed exactly 3 times before falling asleep at night. It was tearing him apart to be away from her like this, able to see her, but not able to enjoy her company.  
  
"We have the results for the last test..." Xavier said sadly, opening the envelope.  
  
Kurt looked on anxiously with Logan and Lilandra by his side.  
  
"Vhat does it say?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing..." Xavier said sadly.  
  
"Whatd'ya mean nuthin'!" Logan cried, ripping the paper from Xavier's fingers and looking at it.  
  
"So zere is nozing vee can do for her?" Kurt asked, worried.  
  
Xavier shook his head slowly, "I cannot think of anything else..."   
  
A tear fell from Kurt's eye, and he ran out. They all knew he was going back to her again, he almost never left her side during the day, not even to eat.  
  
~~~~  
  
"I am zo sorry Al..." Kurt whispered as he crouched at the edge of the glass.  
  
"What... do you... mean?" Almika asked, forcing the words from her lips in gasping breaths.  
  
"Vee cannot find a cure for vhat you 'ave. Vee don't even know vhat it is..." Kurt replied, his face a-stream with tears.  
"I... might be... able to help... you... Kurt..." Almika said, putting a finger to her temple and projecting a very faded and fuzzy image.  
  
The picture looked much like Jean Grey, Xavier's first student. Only she was in another form, the form of a Phoenix, her other namesake.  
  
"Jean Grey? 'ow can she help Al?" Kurt asked, totally confused.  
  
The projection disappeared suddenly and Almika slumped, unable to do anymore. Kurt stood, blowing a small kiss to her and ran out.  
  
"Xavier, vee might 'ave a clue." Kurt puffed as he entered the office.  
  
"What do you mean Kurt?" Lilandra asked.  
  
"Almika, she projected me a picture of Jean... Jean Grey... but in Phoenix form..." Kurt said.  
  
"Is she still conscious?" Xavier asked anxiously.  
  
"Nein... she slipped into unconsciousness straight after zee projection." Kurt said, shaking his head.  
  
"Lilandra... can you think of how Phoenix may be joined here?" Xavier asked her.  
  
"Joined to what?" Scott asked, walking in.  
  
"Almika projected a picture of her as the Phoenix to Kurt, she said it might help." Xavier explained.  
  
"I think I may have an idea how she is connected..." Scott said softly.  
  
Everyone looked at him quickly...   
  
"Well one-eye, we're waitin'..." Logan said, urging him on.  
  
"In two days time, it will be 3 years since she died..." Scott explained.  
  
"It's a goot lead..." Kurt said.  
  
"It's the only one we got..." Logan added.  
  
"How will it help us though Charles?" Lilandra asked.  
  
"I do not know..." Xavier sighed.  
  
"The crystal Lilandra... where is it?" Logan asked, quickly.  
  
"It was buried with Jean... remember?" Scott said.  
  
"We may need it Scott." Xavier replied.  
  
Scott nodded slowly.  
  
The next day, much to their dismay, the X-men dug up Jean Grey's coffin, pulling the Shi'ar crystal out with it. They reburied Jean and took the crystal to Almika, letting her off the drugs to see if it would do anything...  



	24. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: Almika, Darion and Bouncer are mine... Mariamus Prime owns Alena... everything else is Marvel's...  
  
Chapter 23: The end to a means  
  
Everyone crowded in the laboratory, watching the crystal and Almika as she awoke. The crystal had been put inside the glass cage the day after they'd dug it up. It was the day that Jean Grey-Summers had died, only 3 years later, and with consequences no one could see coming.  
  
Almika looked to the crystal, and then up to the people crowded around her. Kurt was there, Xavier and Lilandra watched hopefully, Scott and Storm, Logan, Darion, Bouncer, Alena and Toad, Rogue and Gambit and finally, someone she didn't recognise.  
  
"Who's.. that?" Almika asked, pointing to the unknown person.  
  
"Who?" Xavier asked, looking to what he thought was an empty space in the crowd of people.  
  
"That woman, cant you see her?" Almika asked.  
  
"Vhat does she look like?" Kurt asked her.  
  
"She's beautiful... graceful, bright red... hair, she... she's coming through the glass... " Almika said, moving backwards on the bed.  
  
"What is she doing child?" Xavier asked.  
  
"She..." Almika said, looking strangely to the unseeable woman, "she wants me to put my palm to hers."  
  
Almika slowly lifted her hand, letting it touch the woman's hand softly. She felt strange, stranger than usual, as if something was burying itself inside her. When the woman disappeared, Almika put her hands to her temples and projected an image. It was the woman she had seen, like she was talking to the others.  
  
"I am sorry that I never got to say goodbye." Said the projected woman, "Charles, thankyou for all your help and everything you have ever done for me, Scott, I love you, please never forget that."  
  
The projection disappeared as Almika fell backwards, knocking her head on the ground beneath her as she slipped into unconsciousness yet again.  
"It was Jean..." Scott said in a whisper.  
  
"Vhat 'as she done to Al?" Kurt asked.  
  
"I think Almika will be ok now. Jean has put herself to rest." Xavier said.  
  
They all filed out to let Almika sleep her last time in the glass confinement, not looking back upon her as she finally got some well-needed rest.  
  
~~~~  
  
Gambit, Nightcrawler and Rogue sat in the rec room later the next day, talking about nothing in particular.  
  
"Ah'm sure it is sugah, but tha' don' mean I'll help ya, does it?" Rogue said to Gambit who was trying to convince her to go into town with him.  
  
"C'mon chere, jus' da few hours, den you and Gambit, we go where you wanna go?" Gambit said, trying his hardest.  
  
"Rogue, just go with him... I've gotta go and see the sunshine anyway..." Almika said softly as she turned into the room, not walking, but floating.  
  
"Al, 'ow are you feeling?" Kurt asked as she levitated before them.  
  
"Very... refreshed." Almika smiled to him as she lent down to kiss him.  
  
"You comin' now chere?" Gambit asked Rogue, looking hopefully to her.  
  
"Ahlright sugah..." Rogue sighed.  
  
"Does Charles know zat you are out of zee laboratory?" Kurt asked Almika.  
  
"No, I haven't seen anyone else yet." Almika smiled, still floating.  
  
"Wha's with tha' floatin' thin' Al?" Gambit asked her.  
  
"It's easier than walking?" Almika said, smiling, "I'm going to go find the others... I'll be ready to go shopping as soon as I find them and tell them I'm out. I had a shower before I came looking for you all."  
  
"Ok sugah, ah'll see ya outside in a little while." Rogue smiled as Almika levitated off.  
  
~~~~  
  
Almika found Xavier in his office with Cyclops, Lilandra, Storm, Darion and Bouncer.  
  
"You know I would stay longer Charles, but I have been away from my people long enough." Lilandra said.  
  
"Yes, I know." Xavier smiled to her, "It was good to see you again Lilandra, and thankyou for your help."  
  
"Yes, I don't know how I can thankyou Lilandra, I would be stuck in confinement still if you hadn't come along." Storm smiled to her, noticing Almika who stood in the doorway, "You are awake!"  
  
"Of course I am. You don't think that I would sleep any longer than necessary do you?" Almika smiled, still floating.  
  
Xavier looked curiously to Almika who dropped her feet to the floor and walked in, "It was easier to float than to walk, my legs aren't quite used to it yet." She smiled.  
  
"How do you feel?" Xavier asked her.  
  
"I feel great, except for the leg thing." Almika said, "I just came in to tell you all that I'm up and about and that Rogue, Remy, Kurt and I are going shopping."  
  
"Are you sure that you feel well enough to go out?" Xavier asked, worried.  
  
"I've never felt better, but I will have to go into the Danger Room soon and figure out what I've picked up." Almika said, "Has anyone seen Logan lately? He's the only one that doesn't know."  
  
"Last I saw, he was in the kitchen, but I don't know if he is still there." Scott said.  
  
"Thanks Scott..." Almika said, running out, still a little wobbly.  
  
~~~~  
  
Logan stood in the classroom, his students working quietly as he wandered around watching them.  
  
"Logan..." Almika said, floating into the room.  
  
Surprised by the familiar voice, Logan spun around, looking Almika straight in the eyes.  
  
"Hello darlin'. Good ta see ya up and about finally." Logan smiled to her, walking to the front of the room near the door.  
  
"It's good to be up and about." Almika smiled as they hugged.  
  
"What ya doin' later?" Logan asked.  
  
"Well, I'm going shopping with Rogue, Gambit and Kurt now... just came in to say hello." Almika said.  
  
"When ya get back from shoppin', I wanna see ya in the Danger Room..." Logan smiled.  
  
"Alright... I'll come and find you when I get back." Almika said, "I'd better leave you to your teaching then..."  
  
"See ya darlin'. Don't go spendin' all ya money." Logan said.  
  
Almika looked to him sweetly and turned around, as she floated out she called, "Would I do that?"   
  
Almika felt good to see the sun again, it was almost like seeing an old friend that had gone away for a while. She was up and about again, not lying on the floor of a confinement cell in the laboratory, unable to see daylight or stars in the night sky. Although, there was one thing that bothered her, ticking over in her mind. Her thoughts weren't exactly straight, and some of them weren't her own...  



	25. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 24: The ways of new abilities  
  
Almika wandered the streets of town, Kurt on one side, Rogue on the other. She didn't have much money to spend, but she was happy anyway. The sun had begun to set over the horizon nearby, causing the sky to look pink and orange.  
  
*A new dress sounds good...* Almika heard. She knew the thought wasn't anyone nearby's because it didn't sound like it came from somewhere else.  
  
"Al, vould you like to buy somezing or are you jus' going to vindow shop?" Kurt asked as she stared into a shop window.  
  
"I'm looking for something special..." Almika replied, moving on to the next shop.  
  
Kurt shrugged to Rogue and Gambit who looked at him strangely. Almika was already rounding the next corner by the time they realised she'd moved onwards, and they ran to keep up.  
  
*There it is Almika, your new dress.* Almika heard in her head as she looked to a dress in one of the windows. It was short and fiery red with orange and yellow tie-dyed marks on it.  
  
*Yes, I like that...* Almika thought, smiling to herself as she walked into the shop and talked to the shopkeeper.  
  
Rogue walked in slowly behind her and watched as Almika not only bought the dress, but also convinced the shopkeeper to take 25% off it. With a surprised look on her face, Rogue opened the door for Almika and walked out after her.  
  
"I've got my dress..." Almika smiled, "I'm done shopping..."  
  
"How did ya do it sugah?" Rogue asked, curious.  
  
"Do what?" Almika asked.  
  
"Ya convinced tha' shopkeeper to take tha' price down... Ah've tried that on 'im before an' it's never worked." Rogue said.  
  
"I'm not quite sure... maybe I'm just lucky..." Almika shrugged.  
  
They returned to the mansion shortly afterwards, Gambit driving crazily along the driveway.  
  
"Now, da's da way ta drive!" Gambit smiled, hopping from the car.  
  
"Zat is definitely zee last time I go driving viz you..." Kurt said, a sly smile upon his face.  
  
Almika ran from the car, and straight to Xavier's office, her face not exactly one of excitement.  
  
"Xavier... I... I need your help..." Almika said, running to the office and finding him with Bouncer, talking.  
  
"What is it child? Is something wrong?" Xavier asked.  
  
"I don't know what's going on, but it's like there's someone else thinking inside my head, and whoever it is... they're pretty powerful..." Almika explained.  
  
"Ok, well, Logan is in the Danger Room, if you want, go down and train with him, I'll be down soon." Xavier said, hoping she'd be alright.  
  
Almika nodded, running down to the Danger Room. She recognised the program and instantly jumped in, her bag still in hand. As she ran through the trees, she gasped, almost bumping into the adamantium claw of one short, hairy Logan.  
  
"Hey darlin'... watch we're ya goin' next time?" Logan said, turning off the program.  
  
"Sorry Logan... I just had to find you and show you my new dress... and Xavier is going to be down here soon. I think he wants you and me to train together." Almika shrugged.  
  
"That's ok... I jus' don't know what I'd do if ya accidentally became attached ta one o' me claws." Logan said.  
  
"You'd probably run, because Xavier wouldn't exactly be happy with you..." Almika smiled.  
  
"Ok kiddo, ya wanna train?" Logan asked.  
  
"Sure, I'll just put this somewhere safe..." Almika said, slipping the bag away under the control panel.  
  
The program loaded and started, Almika unsure if she could handle it with the voice in her head telling her what she'd hear next. Maybe the voice was just way too intelligent. As she turned around one of the trees, she saw a glimmer of metal in the corner of her eyes.  
  
*Sentinel?* she thought.  
  
*Could very much be so...* said the other voice.  
  
As Almika turned to it, to see what it was, something hit her in the back of the head. Unfazed by it, she spun back around and stopped as Bouncer smiled at her.  
  
"What was that for?!" Almika screamed.  
  
"Ya weren't listening..." Bouncer smiled.  
  
"I can't hear... I'm deaf remember?" Almika snarled.  
  
"Oh, sorry... LOOK OUT!" Bouncer cried.  
  
Almika spun around and came face to face with a mirror image of herself, maybe 5-10 years older.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Almika asked the image.  
  
"You, about 7 years from now... oh... you mean really?" the image asked, smiling evilly.  
  
The image started to change, slowly becoming someone else. The skin of this person was blue, with yellow eyes and red-orange hair.  
  
*Logan... is Mystique meant to be in this program??* Almika called to his mind.  
  
*No kiddo, why do ya ask?* came the reply.  
  
*She's standing before me...* Almika said quickly, staring at Mystique as she stared back.  
  
"Now, are you going to come silently?" Mystique asked.  
  
"Ah, no..." Almika smiled to her, jumping into a fly and looking down at her.  
  
"C'mon Almika... come down..." Mystique said, pulling out what looked like a very large gun.  
  
*Now, Almika... do it...* the voice said to her.  
Almika screamed in frustration, her feet coming down in a point and her arms pointing out level to her shoulders, her hands clenched. In one swift movement, she moved her hands together and when she opened them, a fireball escaped, flying straight for Mystique. It hit its target hard, making her fall on her back. Almika breathed heavily, looking down at her, her eyes twitching with anger.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Almika screamed, flying down at Mystique and punching her as she sat on her.  
  
Mystique was definitely gone by the time Logan found them, Almika still punching her again and again as Mystique's head bounced loosely around on the ground. The program stopped, but Almika didn't.  
  
"Kiddo, she's gone..." Logan said, unsure what Almika was doing.  
  
"Leave me alone... stupid bitch... if Magneto wants me... I'll fight him... I don't care... I'm sick of it all..." Almika growled.  
  
"Al..." Logan said, trying to get her attention as he touched her shoulder.  
  
Almika glared at him, there was something very wrong with her, "She has to die..." she said, going back to punching her.  
  
"What's going on here Logan?" Xavier asked, coming in.  
  
"I don't know. Mystique got in here an' came up ta Almika while the program was runnin' and Almika must've had somethin' snap inside her..." Logan shrugged.  
  
*Child... what is wrong?* Xavier asked her.  
  
*She must die...* Almika replied.  
  
*Yes Almika, she must die...* the other voice said, obviously smiling.  
  
*Who is that Almika?* Xavier asked.  
  
*I... I don't know...* Almika thought.  
  
"Almika... she's dead..." Xavier said.  
  
Almika looked to him, her eyes calming as she started to cry. Her whole body shook as she did...  



	26. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 25 - Clues and answers  
  
It had been a week and a half since the day in the Danger Room. Almika had changed, and she knew it. As a precautionary measure, Xavier had suggested someone stay with her all the time, just to make sure that she was alright. Everything had seemed normal since. Almika had lost the voice inside her head and hadn't shown any more new abilities, but she was more cautious about what she did.  
  
She sat in Xavier's office, with Scott, Kurt and Logan, talking...  
  
"How did it happen?" Scott asked her.  
  
"I don't know... one minute I'm standing infront of her, and then before I know it, she's dead and I'm bashing the crap out of her." Almika shrugged.  
  
"Iz zere anyvay vee can find out Charles?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Cerebro... maybe... but it would be a long shot." Xavier said.  
  
"The Elf's right Xavier, we have to find out how it happened... and if it'll ever happen again." Logan agreed, nodding slightly.  
  
"I'll go down there now... wish me luck guys." Almika said, standing, "Give me about an hour... If I'm not back by then, come and get me."  
  
Almika strode out and down to Cerebro, where she stood by the door, waiting for permission to enter. She watched the doors open slowly and walked down the long walkway, standing at the podium and placing the helmet over her head. A tingling sensation flowed through her, as if it were probing each piece of her for information and it wasn't long before the tingling stopped. Almika lifted the helmet from her head and walked out, taking a piece of paper from the Computer Room nearby almost as long as she was tall. Most of the writing was in long undecipherable words, so Almika couldn't understand it. She returned to Xavier's office, only Xavier and Logan still sitting there. Handing the paper to Xavier she looked hopefully to him.  
  
"I can't understand it..." Almika shrugged.  
  
"Well, most of it is just things we already knew about you... but there are some very interesting things that are here." Xavier smiled.  
  
"Like?" Almika asked, unsure of what he meant.  
  
"The crystal has somehow formed with your body. That's why we couldn't find it after you woke. It is part of you now, although, the Phoenix itself isn't. From what I can tell here, Jean Grey's thoughts are now yours as well. That other voice you were hearing was her thoughts, they just hadn't moulded to yours yet." Xavier said to her, continuing to read the paper, occasionally looking up to speak, "The fireball you released... that was one of two powers you've inherited... the other is Jean's mental bolts. It seems that you've changed very little really, but you will have to learn how to control those new powers of yours because they are at the same strength as Jean's were."  
  
"Do ya think Magneto will come back soon?" Logan asked.  
  
"More than likely... now that I've killed off one of his henchmen, he'll be really, really pissed off." Almika smiled.  
  
"Child, you will have to be ready for him." Xavier warned, "I'd advise you to stay at the mansion if not inside at all times if possible, but I can't order you around like that."  
  
Almika nodded, "I don't have much time to go out as it is anymore, so it will be rare for me to leave the mansion."  
  
"C'mon kiddo, we've got the Danger Room waiting for us..." Logan smiled.  
  
Almika looked to him sadly, "Sorry Logan, I can't. I have classes to attend soon."  
  
"Ah, that's ok, I'll get Bouncer or Darion ta come with me." Logan shrugged.  
  
Almika turned from the office, her disposition changing to upset very quickly, but for no apparent reason. *Eh, it's probably just my body getting used to the new abilities...* she thought to herself, slowly smiling. She walked through the hallway and into the kitchen where Scott sat eating quickly.  
  
"Hey Scott." Almika mumbled.  
  
"Oh, hi. So, how'd it go?" Scott asked.  
  
"Not bad... I've gained two of Jean's abilities and her thoughts have finally moulded with mine, so we shouldn't have anymore problems." Almika said, grabbing a packet of potato chips from the cupboard.  
  
"Is something wrong Al?" Scott asked, looking curiously at the bag of chips.  
  
"No, why do you ask?" Almika replied, confused.  
"Oh, I've just never seen you eat anything unhealthy before... except those lollies on Christmas Day." Scott said.  
  
"Must be just one of those things... anyway, I've got class to teach, so I'll see ya later." Almika smiled, leaving the kitchen before Scott could say another word.  
  
Her classes went all day, right up until dusk; the last class scheduled was a bore. She watched the other students, all having fun, running around in the Danger Room like it was a playground, while she floated along, taking it easy.  
  
"Greetin's dearie... wha's wiv da sad lookin' face?" Bouncer asked her.  
  
"Oh, nothing, just a little off the planet today." Almika smiled.  
  
"Ain't it always dat way?" Bouncer asked her, as Almika used her fireball on Bouncer so she could relay it.  
  
"Nah, I'm not usually this way... something strange is going on... I can feel it in my bones." Almika said, realising as she said it, what had been bothering her all day.  
  
"Ah know da feelin' doll, it's almost like ya waitin' fer it ta happen?" Bouncer smiled.  
  
Almika nodded.  
  
The class ended soon afterwards, Almika sighing a breath of relief as she went to see what Kurt was doing. Almika found him with Toad in the rec room, watching the news, so she sat nearby, still floating above the seat.  
  
"What's wiv the static?" Toad asked the television rhetorically as it changed.   
  
The picture came back quickly, although it wasn't the news. It was Magneto, talking from somewhere.  
  
"To the lady, you know who you are... I have one of your dear friends, if you do not give me what I want in two days time, then they will die and it will go on like that, one by one, all your friends will die until you give me what I desire..." Magneto said, "I will find you tomorrow and discuss this further."  
  
Then the news came back... like nothing had happened.  
  
Toad looked to Almika, who looked to Kurt, who looked straight back at her.  
  
"What does he want from you Al?" Toad asked.  
  
"Don't worry, he's not going to get it." Almika sighed as Xavier wheeled in.  
  
"Almika, did you see..." Xavier started.  
  
"Yes, yes, I saw... no I'm not giving it to him." Almika said firmly.  
  
They stood there, very quiet for some time... Kurt and Toad wondering what she had that Magneto wanted, Xavier and Almika, wondering what to do about the upcoming problem.  
  
It was a very deathly quiet night, no one stirred, except Almika, she couldn't sleep and rightly so, Magneto, her enemy, had one of her friends, although she couldn't tell which one. Almika tossed and turned all night, trying to sleep, trying to get the thoughts out of her head...  



	27. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 26: The coming of Magneto  
  
Almika wandered the grounds of the school. This was the day that Magneto was supposed to come so that he could get what she had. Almika knew that she couldn't give it to him, if she did, then all would be lost in her cause. That morning, she had said a sad goodbye to Kurt, not telling him what she had planned. Some would say it was suicide, others would say it was wrong. Almika just thought it was the thing to do to stop all this trouble. As Almika floated through the trees that surrounded the school, she cried inside, knowing that this was it, knowing that she would never see Kurt again. She knew this would tear him apart, but she also knew that this was the only way she could stop the stupidity, the fighting, the rivalry and the only way she could be peaceful in knowing she had stopped it.  
  
In amongst the trees, she saw quick glimpses of red, the red commonly known as Magneto's helmet.  
  
"I know you're here Magneto, just come out and stop this stupid game." Almika called.  
  
Magneto walked in, alone. He smiled to her and said, "Are you ready to become what you were before you took it?"  
  
"Stop all this stupidity and just fucking take it. If you want it that badly, rip it from my body magnetically and leave me to die in peace." Almika snarled, holding her arms out to her sides.  
  
Magneto looked around, it seemed all too easy, maybe it was a trap, but she was offering him the one thing that he wanted most. *Who cares if it's a trap, I can take it and run...* he thought to himself.  
  
"There's no trap, the others don't know I'm here doing this. And don't think I've given up on fighting it out with you, I'm doing this to save my friends." Almika said.  
  
Magneto lifted his hand, silently calling on his powers to rip the item from Almika's chest. There was a gut-wrenching, slurping sort of sound as it came free, like, what looked like a small silver box, had been stuck in an air vacuum in Almika's chest. Almika let a few tears fall down her cheeks as she clutched in her hand a note, written on simple paper to the hole in her chest.  
  
Before she had even started living, she was gone... or was she?  
** THIS IS NOT THE END... WAIT FOR THE NEXT, EXPLOSIVE CHAPTER... the last chapter in this story...  



	28. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 27: Dreams can come true  
  
She opened her eyes slowly, a clear liquid surrounding her body as she moved around. It was as though she was floating. Cables ran from all parts of her body, and there were figures outside the tank she seemed to be in. One of them looked familiar, as though she had seen him many times before, but she couldn't be sure, it seemed like such a long time ago that she'd opened her eyes. Looking down upon her body, she saw it as she remembered, pale skinned. There was a long scar that reached from the bottom of her neck to her solar plexus. It almost looked pink in the soft blue light that emitted from outside her cell. Panic started to come over her quickly, as she thrashed in the tank wildly. Slowly the liquid started to drain out, leaving her lying on the floor of the tank. The cables retracted from her body, somehow not having left a mark on her skin and the top of the tank lifted. She lifted her head painfully, looking around as though she had never seen before. One of the figures, a small woman, came over to her, gently placing a towel around her to keep her warm and helped her to stand, sitting her in a chair. The woman pulled a small light from her pocket and flashed it in her eyes, then her ears.  
  
"How do you feel?" asked one of the men.  
  
She looked up surprised, she had never heard a sound before in her life, and now, for the first time, she could. It sounded nothing like she'd thought it might.  
  
"Like I've been asleep for 50 years." She smiled.  
  
"Try 3 darlin'" the other man smiled. She remembered his name, Logan. He was short, quite hairy, and very mysterious. His eyes gave off an almost loving gleam.  
  
Another man came down the stairs to her right, his indigo hair giving him away before he even looked at her with his yellow eyes.  
  
"Kurt?" she whispered, unsure what to say.  
  
The man known as Kurt to her gasped, looking to the others in the room. Logan nodded smiling to him. Kurt ran to her side, a tear running down his cheek as he touched her skin again for the first time in years. Almost bewildered by the amazement of her recovery, he kissed her cheek and smiled, looking almost childlike to her. She knew she had returned, but how?  
  
She was taken to a room, like she had had before whatever it was that had happened. She couldn't remember how it happened, or what had happened, only that something had gone from her and that was it. Left with the man called Kurt, she slept, slowly regenerating her energy. As she slept, he looked at her, so happy to have her back again, but then so worried that she might not be the same.  
  
When she awoke an hour later, he still sat there, watching her. He helped her into the wheelchair that she had been brought in and wheeled her down to a large office. In another wheelchair, behind the desk, sat an older man, older than Kurt. He was bald, but looked very intelligent. Her mind scrambled for a name, but the only thing she could find was 'Father'.  
  
"D... Dad?" she forced through her lips.  
  
"My child!" he replied, looking to her.  
  
"Xavier, she can hear now, but is occasionally having trouble speaking. I don't think she can remember everything yet." Kurt said.  
  
The man she called father, known as Xavier, looked to her, his eyes so loving and intelligent. He smiled to her, as if he knew she wouldn't be the same yet.  
  
"Go find the others Kurt, see if she can remember them." Xavier said.  
  
She was wheeled out, and down to what looked like a classroom. Inside sat a lot of different aged people, students she guessed, listening to a man with red-lensed glasses on. When the man stopped talking, he looked to her and smiled.  
  
"Hello." He said, walking over and crouching to be her eye-level.  
  
"Scott?" she replied.  
  
The man nodded, his grin growing wider.  
  
"Where's everyone else?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Danger Room. They're practising together." Scott said.  
  
Kurt brought her to the edge of the Danger Room, where she peered in through the glass, watching the rest of the team train. She recognised some people, but there were one or two that she didn't. As they came out, some noticed her, others didn't.  
  
"Wha', ah though' ah'd neva' see ya up sugah!" one of them said excitedly to her.  
  
"Rogue..." she said, and pointing to another, "Remy..."  
  
"Is dere a lady callin' mah name?" The Cajun smiled, turning around.  
  
"I kicked your arse in a snowball fight one winter... right?" she said, unsure.  
  
Remy smiled and nodded, "An' ya livin' up ta ya word mon ami, ya say dat ya neva' let Gambit live it down at da time."  
  
She smiled, looking around the other people, "Ororo." She smiled, pointing to a dark skinned lady with long white hair, "Alena and Toad." She added, nodding to a pair of green skinned people nearby.  
  
Although she could remember all these other people, there were still more she didn't recognise, but that wasn't what scared her most.  
  
It only took her 2 days to get out of the wheelchair and about normally, which surprised no one, but she still wasn't right.   
  
With Logan one day, in the rec room, she sat, watching the news. She remembered news items that were around last time she watched the news, 3 years ago, as she was told. Mutants vs Humans, which still raged out of control in the streets, the fighting worse now.  
  
As she looked outside to the warm sun, which hadn't set yet, she felt almost at home, as if this was where she was meant to be.  
  
"What ya lookin' at darlin'?" Logan asked her.  
  
"Sun." she replied, not able to tear her eyes away from it.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Logan asked.  
  
She felt as though, in her heart, there was something more that she might have had for Logan at one time, maybe love, but she knew that it hadn't worked. She knew that he was one to be trusted though, so she admitted her feelings to him.  
  
"I... I might remember who you all are, but I..." she left it there, not sure if she should go on.  
  
"C'mon kiddo, ya can tell me, ya know that." Logan said reassuring her.  
  
"I don't remember who I am. No one has called me by a name since I woke up, no one will tell me what happened, why I am this way... and if I'll ever be the same again." She cried, tears falling down her cheeks.  
  
Logan held her close, letting her cry it out. He'd learnt it was better to do that than just hold it in. After she'd let it all out, they agreed to meet in the Danger Room, to see if that would help her remember. The door was locked after they entered, by Logan, who didn't want interruptions.   
  
"Now, I know this will sound weird darlin', but ya name was Almika. Yar a very fun-loving girl, although when it came down ta love, I always knew ya'd end up with the Elf." Logan smiled.  
  
She'd gotten used to Logan's little terms for everyone, and sometimes wondered how come she felt so close to him, but let it slide.  
  
"Almika?" she repeated, the name holding some familiarity, "Did I have another name? Like you have Wolverine... or Kurt has Nightcrawler."  
  
"No." Logan replied, shaking his head, "I don' think ya needed one. Wanna see if ya still got ya abilities? Maybe if ya use 'em ya'll remember some more."  
  
She nodded slowly; she'd try anything to regain even a small slice of her memory. Standing, she walked into the Danger Room's centre and waited at Logan fooled with the programming.  
  
"It's only gonna be on easy kiddo, so don't get freaked out about anything, an' I'll be watchin' ya as well." Logan smiled as he disappeared behind a tree formed by the program.   
  
She wandered around, looking at the trees, touching them as if not sure they existed. Sure, they felt as though they did, but they weren't there only moments before. She looked around a tree to see Logan being followed by a monster of some description. Without knowing what she was doing, she floated up to the monster, tapping its shoulder lightly and as it turned around, she put her hands to her head, using an ability she knew only as 'mental bolts'. The monster disappeared after it fell down presumably dead.  
  
"Do you remember darlin'?" Logan asked, watching surprised.  
  
"I remember what abilities I had, but I don't know if I can still use them." She sighed, calling, "Program Off."  
  
The Danger Room turned back to it's normal look and they heard a loud banging at the door. As Logan opened it, Scott lunged in, with half-a-dozen students behind him.  
  
"Good one Logan. I've got a class to teach remember?" Scott said.  
"I was helping Almika dork-boy. C'mon kiddo." Logan motioned, leaving the room.  
  
She smiled slightly and floated out behind Logan, nodded to Scott as she passed.  
  
By that night, she'd started to remember fully what she was like, who she knew, almost all of what was going on before Magneto almost killed her.  
  
She lay in bed, next to Kurt, which didn't worry her as she knew this was what they had done before her accident, talking with him.  
  
"What was the thing that Magneto wanted from you Al?" Kurt asked.  
  
She looked to him softly and smiled, "I know what it was. Magneto got it. It's all over now... don't worry about it."  
  
"I'm curious love. Why did you risk dying for your friends?" Kurt said, "Was it really all that important?"  
  
"No, it was only a copy of the real thing, but I knew that if Magneto really wanted it that badly, he'd never leave me alone until he got it." She smiled, "It was a dark green crystal inside a small silver box, no bigger than my fist. The original was given to me as a child, but little did Magneto know, I gave it to Lilandra, when she came to our aid when I was really sick. The box that was within me was empty."  
  
"How did you get it out of the box inside you?" Kurt asked, confused.  
  
"It was never there..." She whispered, laying her head on Kurt's chest.  
  
It was then she knew that everything would be all right. She'd always have him to help her. And although there was a long way to go in restoring her full memory, she had her friends around her and her only family, her father, to help her on the way to finally getting back to normal, or at least... as normal as any mutant can be...  
  
THE END  



End file.
